The Little Things
by KaylaBeckett93
Summary: The world of Castle and Beckett is pretty much as we know it; catching bad guys, cracking jokes, feeding birds...  But this time, there are a few small differences in the life of our favorite female Detective.
1. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins  Ch1

**A/N: hey, so this is my first shot at a Castle FF. I wouldn't say its AU, more like a parallel universe, in that I've based a lot of it from the original series, with the addition/alteration of particular characters and situations. I hope you like it (: p.s. I originally planned to follow the dialogue to a tee (which I did at one point), but it was time-consuming.**

**Enough, now enjoy!**

The phone rang, startling Detective Kate Beckett awake. She looked to her clock and sighed, reaching for her phone on the bedside table.

"Beckett."

Among the voice on the other end of the line, the creaking of her bedroom door interrupted, as a pair of weary blue eyes peeked around the corner.

"Yeah, I'll be there as soon as I can," Kate said into her phone, gesturing for the little brunette to come in as she put down her phone and stretched.

"You're up early," she said, the small girl crawling onto the bed and tucking herself under Kate's arm.

"So are you," was her reply, "do you have to go catch a bad guy again?"

Kate smiled at her 9 year old daughter, wrapping her arms around her and lifting her up as she stood.

"Just like always, sweetie," she said, putting her daughter up on her feet, "but don't worry, me and the boys will get him."

She smiled, as she skipped after her mother on her way to the kitchen, climbing onto a chair at the dining table.

"Can I come?" she asked, her face set in a hopeful expression, as she watched Kate fiddle with the coffee jar and search for a mug.

"Pfft, absolutely not!" she exclaimed, putting a bowl down on the table with a spoon.

"Aww, but Mom-"

"No!" she demanded, "We agreed, Johanna, you're not coming to work with me until you're at least five and a half feet."

"Grandpa told me I must be at least five feet," she explained, as she went to collect her cereal from the kitchen.

"Well, then you've only got about 6 inches to go," Kate said, flashing a smile, then turning to the fridge, "Speaking of Grandpa, guess who you're visiting this morning?"

Johanna rolled her eyes, ducking under Kate's arm to grab the carton of milk, before returning to the dining table.

"But Mom, do you remember the last time you took me there before the sun was even up?" she said, "He had, like, 8 cups of coffee before he even took me to school!"

Kate scoffed.

"Yeah, that sounds like him," she laughed.

"So, wouldn't it be easier if I just went to work with you?" asked Johanna, taking the milk back to the fridge and collecting a spoon, before she turned to face her mother.

"I mean, seriously, I promise I'll stay out of the way, and I won't talk to scary looking bad guys, and I'll cover my eyes when I see a dead person."

"Johanna –"

"Please?"

"No."

Crossing her arms in a huff, Johanna turned on her heel and headed off to finish her breakfast.

Kate had nothing to say, but shook her head, laughing gently to herself, stirring some milk into her coffee.

"Come on and finish your cereal, then go get your school things," she said, walking over to where her daughter sat, "and then I'll take you to Grandpa's place, okay?"

She ruffled Johanna's hair and gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head, then headed back to her room to change for work.

Placing her mug on the bedside table, she headed to her wardrobe, pulling out jeans, a navy shirt and a bright red trench coat. Kate was grateful when it came to early morning calls that she had short hair; for some reason, it always managed to sit just right after one brush. Not only that, it was safer for the job, but she was a bit envious when she watched her daughters mid-length locks bounce past her door.

She smiled as Johanna hummed a tune in the bathroom, the sound echoing off the walls. The distinctive sound of teeth being brushed joined the humming, which picked up its pace and formed a sort of melody.

After Kate had changed, her direction turned toward the chest opposite her bed, and opened the top left drawer. It was here that she kept her gun and badge; easily accessible yet safely out of reach for Johanna's safety. Kate knew her daughter was aware of the weapon that belonged there, but had never allowed her to even see her sidearm, let alone anything else.

She heard footfalls in the rhythm of skipping that were moving from the bathroom opposite her bedroom toward the room at the back of the apartment. Kate quickly holstered her gun, attached her badge to her belt, and then pulled her trench coat closed.

Her hands reached up to the jewelry box that graced the top of the cabinet, pausing momentarily over the faces of her parents. The way their eyes crinkled when they smiled gave Kate mixed feelings; she was both warmed by their happiness, but saddened when reality told her it would never happen again.

Opening the dark wood box, she reached in, pulling out the watch that once belonged to her father. It served as a reminder of what she saved him from; a life of dark alcoholism that lasted five long and tragic years. As Kate fastened it on her wrist, she remembered many a time when she had come home to him staring blankly at the wall, spirits in one hand, a photo of his wife in the other. She'd moved out when Johanna was 6 months old; his dependence on the bottle made him aggressive, and on more than one occasion Kate had feared for the safety of herself and her daughter.

"Momma?"

Johanna's voice startled Kate out of her daydream, turning to the nine-year-old in her doorway who was holding a brush and some hair elastics.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, turning back to her jewelry box momentarily to pick up the last part of her morning ritual. While Johanna wandered over to the bed, Kate raised the delicate, silver chain over her head, feeling the weight and cool of her mother's engagement ring on her chest. She tucked it into her shirt before gently closing the box atop her chest of drawers. Running her fingers quickly over the silhouettes of her parents, she sighed.

A presence at her side caused Kate's head to turn. Johanna leaned into her mother's side, her head resting in her waist and an arm wrapped around to rest on her opposite hip. A smile crept onto Kate's lips as her green eyes met the intense blue of her daughter's.

"How do you want your hair today, JoJo?" she asked, taking the young girl by the shoulder and leading her back to the center of the room.

"Can I have a side braid, pretty please?" she asked, handing over the hairbrush and plonking on the edge of the bed. Nodding, Kate began softly pulling the brush through her daughter's long, deep brown hair, before weaving her fingers in and out of it.

"Hey Mom?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Are you gonna pick me up from school today?" Johanna asked, fiddling with the hem of her shorts. The silence she was met with caused a hitch in her breath. She knew her mother didn't like to give a definitive answer, just in case she happened to be caught up with work.

"Because, Grandpa has to work," she began, "and I can't go to Faye or Lulu's."

Kate finished tying up her daughter's hair, and moved to stand in front of her. Johanna sensed her movement and stood up too, looking right at her mother.

A moment of silence passed before Johanna spoke next.

"Will you, Mommy?"

Kate squatted, put her hands on her Johanna's shoulders and stared right into her eyes.

"Johanna, don't worry; I'll be there to pick up after school," she said.

"You promise?"

The older woman smiled, as her daughter's cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink before she returned the gesture.

"Promise."


	2. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch2

**A/N: so, these are the few scenes that we know and love :p I'm not sure whether I'll make them so by-the-book (or, show, rather…), but we'll see whether I like it or not.**

**Obviously, I do NOT own the original Castle characters and plots. Chances are, anything you recognize isn't mine (:**

Beckett pulled up at the crime scene, and saw Detective Esposito walking toward her, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Why can't they find bodies between 9 and 5?" he grumbled, handing her one of the cardboard cups of caffeine.

"Yeah, well, the early bird gets the calling," she said, as her attention was taken by the figure running excitedly toward her. Her expression turned quizzical, as Esposito turned to see what had caught her attention. He turned back to Beckett, who looked to him for an explanation.

"He was here before I was."

Richard Castle ran right up to Detective Beckett, took her by her free arm and dragged her toward the buzzing scene.

"Finally, you're here - you are going to _love_ this!" he said, moving quickly and enthusiastically. She gave a pleading look to Esposito, who followed, chuckling.

When they entered the construction site, Detective Ryan was yelling at a few construction workers who had thus far decided to continue working.

Castle, however, had his attention drawn elsewhere.

Atop a metal grate lay the frozen body of a woman, a sight which left Beckett's mouth hanging slightly open.

"Awesome, right?" Castle exclaimed, "My first cold case!"

Both Beckett and Esposito gave him a glance of disapproval, as did the M.E. who was examining the victim from a higher point.

"Come on, it's a little funny," Castle interjected, as Lanie Parish, the said medical examiner, joined the conversation.

"Not so much funny as true," she said, looking from her pad to the detectives and writer below, "She's frozen solid."

Beckett's brow remained furrowed, scenarios playing over in her head, before she turned to Esposito.

"What was the temperature last night?" she asked, as Detective Ryan appeared on her left.

"Mid-forties," he replied, taking Beckett's look from Esposito to himself.

"It wasn't exposure," Lanie interrupted, continuing with her notes as Esposito took point.

"The site's active," he explained, "boys tell me there's no way she was here last night."

Confused, Beckett took a step forward, climbing up onto a nearby ledge to get a closer look at the frozen female victim. Drips were forming on her skin and the material that covered her.

"She's melting!" Beckett exclaimed.

"Maybe we should be looking for ruby slippers," was Castle's reply, staying true to the outlandish theories expected from him.

Despite his help on previous occasions, Beckett felt that ruby slippers were _not_ the culprits here.

"Yeah, while you're at it, why don't you look for some flying monkeys?" she added coyly, "Maybe they left her here."

Castle nodded playfully, then stayed silent, as Beckett turned back to Lanie.

"So what do you got for me?"

Putting her pen aside and disregarding her pad for the moment, the medical examiner turned her attention solely to Beckett and the dead body.

"There are pieces of plastic on her body from the garment bag," she said, Beckett's lips pursing as she tilted her head to get a better look.

"So, she was inside the bag…" she mused, neither to herself or others, just out loud.

"Mm-hmm," Lanie agreed, "Other than that, it's gonna take a while for her to thaw. I can tell you she hasn't been here long; maybe a couple of hours."

"What about security?" she asked, referring back to her team of detectives, who were standing nearby, sipping their coffees.

"Chain link," Esposito put in, "a pair of bolt cutters took care of that."

"Looks like our guy was hoping she'd disappear in the concrete pour," Ryan added.

"Few more feet and she would have."

Castle once again figured it was time for his input.

"It's kind of odd," he began, "taking the time to freeze a body and then dumping it...we got two personality types working here. A killer who freezes a body is a keeper; he wants a souvenir. But a killer who dumps a body –"

"Doesn't want to be reminded of the crime," Beckett finished, before stepping down from her vantage point, "Alright, I'm gonna go check out the fence."

Her fellow detectives nodded, as a CSU tech made his way over to the body, camera in hand. Beckett reached out an arm to stop him.

"Get a close-up of her face," she said, "I wanna run her through Missing Persons."

He nodded, as she began to walk back out of the construction site to the fenced boundaries. Castle, who had been right behind her when she spoke to the CSU guy, was now overly giddy about the pending 'missing persons' search.

"Oh, cool, like on the Discovery Channel?" he asked excitedly, "Where you plug the photo into facial recognition databases?"

Beckett was amused by his antics, giving a small, smile in his direction, almost laughing.

"Yeah," she said, nodding before facing ahead, "just like that."

"Yes!"

So, as it had turned out, the 'Facial Recognition Database' was not all it was hyped up to be on television, much to Castle's disappointment. He mused over this silently, smiling to himself momentarily; the only thing he remembered from Beckett talking about Missing Persons was something about a stripper named Trixie.

Not too soon after, they were discussing the differences between freezing turkeys and freezing humans. Castle was relieved, however, when Lanie had called to alert them that she had found the identity of their Jane Doe. It also meant that he didn't have to help clean up the piles and piles of manila folders that was Missing Persons.

They were now headed down the hallway to meet their favorite Medical Examiner, who, Beckett hoped, could shed some light on why their vic had been frozen and dumped…

Before they could reach the door, Beckett's phone rang, startling the both of them. Castle suspected it to be one of the boys. With a quick glance of her watch, then a smile at the caller I.D., Beckett answered.

"Hey!"

Castle was taken aback. Had it been any other phone call, she would have answered with a stern and conformed 'Beckett', but the calm and cheery tone was something he had yet to witness from the detective. He tried desperately to hear what the other person was saying, but Beckett walked in the opposite direction, in attempt to keep her personal calls private.

"Hey, Katie," came the reply from her father on the other line, "hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, not at the moment," Kate said, smiling intensely; she got a call like this almost every morning when her father took her daughter to school.

"_Can I talk to Mom now?"_ came an eager, younger voice from her father's end, followed by a chuckle and a quick pause.

"Hi Mommy!"

"Hey sweetie," Kate replied, hearing the smile in her young daughter's voice, "you all ready for school?"

"Yeah-huh, but, Momma?" Johanna said quietly.

"Yes, baby?"

"I love you."

If it were possible for Kate's smile to grow any wider, it would have done.

"I love you too, JoJo," was Kate's reply, "now, off to school you!"

The adorable giggle of her daughter filled Kate's ears, before it faded and her father's voice returned.

"So, you're good to pick her up?" he asked, his tone somewhat annoying to her.

She nodded to herself, but spoke a reply for her father's benefit.

"Yes, I'll be there," she said, beginning to make her way back toward where Castle was standing. He watched her in awe, quickly snapping his gaping mouth shut so she didn't notice. He had a feeling she already had though, his receipt of disapproving looks a good sign of that. He watched her bid farewell, before looking at her, intrigued.

"Who was that?" he asked, his writer's curiosity blatantly getting the better of him.

Kate simply raised an eyebrow, shook her head with a smile before forwarding in to meet Lanie.

The small, Medical Examiner smiled at the sight of her friend and her…consultant. She picked up a manila file and handed it to the detective before she started to speak.

"Her name is Melanie Cavanagh, 34 at the time of death," she began, before gesturing to some X-rays adorning the walls, "turns out C.O.D was blunt force trauma to the head."

Castle's attention shifted from Beckett's vague phone call to the painful-looking x-rays on the wall.

"How'd you get her I.D.?" Beckett asked.

"Her fingerprints were in the system."

"For?"

"Misdemeanor drug possession."

"She doesn't look like a junkie," Castle interrupted, attaining a glare from Beckett. Lanie, however, had grown accustom to seeing her friend's shadow be useful or observant on more than one occasion. She took his comment in her stride, and continued on, despite the reaction of the detective in the room.

"No, she's in pretty good shape, considering," Lanie stated, "but, judging by the lack of frost and tissue degeneration, I'd say wherever she was stored the temperature rarely varied."

"Like a freezer?" Castle offered, looking between Lanie and the blue corpse on her slab.

"Freezer'd do the job," she agreed, nodding before she turned to Beckett, who had begun to speak.

"How long has she been dead?" Beckett insisted, finding it almost irritating that her question may not be answered so easily due to the victim's condition.

Lanie's expression didn't do anything for this assumption either before she spoke.

"Well, considering how long she's been like this," she began, "I'd say she was frozen within 24 hours of being killed."

This is what Beckett had been expecting and dreading, yet, her curiosity and surprise got the better of her.

"What do you mean 'how long she's been like this'?" she asked, her brows furrowed intensely.

"According to the records I pulled," Lanie said, her face and tone serious, "this woman's been missing for over five years."


	3. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch3

**Okie dokie, here's Chapter 3! So, obviously this is based pretty heavily on **_**A Chill Goes Through Her Veins**_** (S01E05), but that is how I intended it to be. I'm trying not to simply regurgitate the episode, which is why there are little bits here and there that are either slightly different or have been added in.**

**Oh, and P.S., **_**Castle**_** and any other associated amazingness is not mine. Damn said the lady…**

**X X X X X**

Castle walked back from the break room, coffee in hand, to find Detective Beckett reading over the case file of Melanie Cavanagh, their newly identified victim.

She didn't look up when he took a seat, placing the hot ceramic mug on her desk, but instead began to speak as a way of acknowledging his presence.

"She had a troubled childhood," she began, "drug problems in her teens and twenties."

"I know," Castle added quickly, not looking from the spot he was gazing absent-mindedly at on the bullpen floor.

"How do you know?" Beckett asked incredulously, not dropping the file, but glaring over it at her persistently annoying shadow.

"I read the case file," he began, taking in a breath before continuing, "she kicked the habit, met and married Samuel Cavanagh. She worked in a restaurant, he managed a bank. They have two kids."

"When did you read the case file?" she abruptly interjected, both astonished and annoyed at his memory and attentiveness. The many layers to her question caused Castle to smile quickly at how unintentionally adorable she was. Until she took his coffee.

"That was uh –"

She looked at him, taking a sip; waiting for an explanation.

He let it slide, but still appeared annoyed, before saying, "While you were in the Little Girls' Room."

"I was gone for like a minute!" she exclaimed, her voice raising in both pitch and volume slightly, as she placed the cup on the desk with in _her_ reach.

"Speed reader!" he exclaimed proudly, "Something I picked up from my years stranded in the New York Public Library."

Not content with procrastination by way of Castle' pointless facts, she lifted the folder high enough to block him from view and continued to read. Her distance from him was short-lived, however, as his eyes appeared peeking over the top of the file in her hands.

"Would you like the Cliff's Notes, or, in this case, the Castle Notes?" he said, raising an eyebrow as Beckett lowered the file yet again, her frustration evident in her eyes.

"How do you know you didn't miss something?" she snapped.

He sat back as she looked at him, a glint of giddy in his eye.

"Like, after Melanie disappeared, her husband waited _a day_ before he called the cops?" he added in disbelief, which was matched by Detective Beckett.

"A day?" she exclaimed, "Well, that doesn't make any sense…"

"Until you get to the third paragraph," he interjected, standing and moving to look over the female Detective's shoulder. He didn't sense her obvious discomfort, but it showed on her face. It was a shock, but also surprisingly…she didn't have the right word for it.

"Before Melanie was married she was known as what is now referred to as a 'runaway bride'," he continued, snapping Kate out of her thoughts and back to the file in front of her.

"According to her husband she ran away a whole two weeks before their wedding day," she mused aloud, pursing her lips in thought.

"Mm-hmm," Castle joined her audible theory building, "and then she came back. Three years happily ever after, she disappears again – comes back. Lather, rinse, repeat three times, no indication of where she went."

Beckett didn't let the discomfort of Castle edging closer still distract her from the file in front of her face.

"Well, she must have had a reason for running away," she said, her undoubted reasonableness sinking in.

Castle 'hmm-ed' before sighing.

"I can't blame her," he said, "some people love the institution, hate the day to day…"

"Are you one of those people, Castle?" Beckett asked teasingly, turning to face him, realizing he was a LOT closer than she thought.

However, it was the comment rather than the distance, or lack of, between himself and Detective Beckett that caused him to be taken aback.

"I guess I just haven't met the right girl," he said slowly, sounding out each of the words as if he were saying them separately, not in a legible sentence.

Their noses were inches apart, the proximity shocking both of them. For a few moments, all they were able to do was stare at one another, completely lost as to what should happen next. Castle's eyes flittered as subtly as they could to her mouth, before returning back to her – green or brown? Maybe hazel; it depended on the light – eyes. Beckett noticed his momentary distraction, but passed over it, her mind thinking of similar ideas.

_What? No!_

A burst of realization hit her when Castle's coy grin spread across his lips. She snapped out of his gaze immediately, turning back to the file at hand.

Castle, although disappointed, stood up straight and headed back to his seat before continuing on with his story.

"So, that's why the husband didn't call the cops, because she'd done it before," he re-iterated, "seemed reasonable to the Detective at the time."

"There was no evidence of foul-play so the Detective just closed the case," Beckett said abruptly. Castle could see the anger and annoyance in her face, almost as if she were scolding the original investigator for his clear lack of perception into Melanie's case. The change in her facial expression was enough for Castle to deduce that this case had both a professional and personal impact on the female Detective.

"Five years," she began, the emotions of her features coming out in her tone, "and her husband thought she'd just run away?"

Flicking his eyes from the file to her face, Castle sensed the turmoil about to be encompassed in their prospective interview.

"Guess it's time to tell him his runaway bride finally came home."

**X X X X X **

Their visit to Samuel Cavanagh's apartment had been…eventful. As it turned out, the apartment was no longer rented by the vic's husband, but by a cranky older man named Roger.

The trip was not all bad news though, as Esposito approached them with Sam's murder file.

"Samuel Cavanagh," he said, holding up a similar folder to the one Melanie's case was in, "shot outside a grocery store about a year ago. Small caliber, double-tap to the chest, wallet and valuables missing."

Beckett appreciated Esposito's clear and concise descriptions; it made the whole process of catching bad guys a whole lot quicker. Not only that, it brought closure to families who didn't deserve to suffer any more than what they had already. Kate's own past was a testament to that.

Esposito, Ryan and Castle had continued to discuss the husband's case while she had been lost in thought, but was brought back to reality by a remark from Castle.

"Give me 250 pages, I bet I could make you," he challenged, causing the male detectives to laugh, and the female to give him a disapproving look. Castle figured she would _never_ run out of those.

"We're solving a murder, Castle, not writing a book," she stated, her tone a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"I would call it _A Chill Runs Through Her Veins_," he said, visualizing the cover, the headlines, the royalties, all while Beckett continued to glare, and Esposito to swoon in manly admiration.

"Ooh, I like that," he said, offering a high five.

"Bam said the lady, another best-seller for me!" Castle exclaimed happily, but Beckett's attention had turned to other things.

_Like solving a murder_, she thought annoyingly to herself, but pushed the notion quickly out of her head.

"What happened to the kids?" she asked. Being a mother herself, she had plans for a situation like this, were she ever not to make it home from work…

Again, she shook the thought out of her mind as Esposito spoke again. Castle, however, the observant annoyance that he was, noticed her fumbling her thoughts, but decided he'd ask about it later.

"Living with Melanie's parents up in White Plains," Esposito said with a nod. This time, Castle hadn't had the opportunity to 'speed-read' the case file, but neither had Beckett.

With her fellow detective's information, she gave a quick sigh before grabbing her keys and standing.

"Looks like I'm going to White Plains," she said, before turning back to Esposito, "Canvass the construction site; someone must have seen something."

"Yeah, the foreman said they have a problem with the homeless at night," he explained, as Castle moved around him to eagerly grab his coat, "I figured I'd go down there later, try and catch them at the site."

Castle, now with coat in hand, looked between Detectives Beckett and Esposito, tossing up between his decisions.

"Homeless, White Plains, homeless, White Plains…"

"They're both kinda creepy," Esposito offered.

With a definitive click, he pointed to Beckett, and began to follow her toward the elevator, receiving a farewell from Esposito as they left.

In the elevator, Beckett was unusually quiet, an abnormality which Castle mirrored for the moment. Normally, they would theorize possibilities, work out angles to acknowledge in their interviews or something similar pertaining to the case.

Today, it was silence. Well, until Castle had his way.

"Something on your mind?" he asked innocently, watching the floor numbers flick by.

Beckett sighed, and shook her head, not in declining her companion's question, but moreso to sort out the thoughts in her head.

"It's just," she began, sighing once more, before continuing, "those poor girls. How could you run away from a life – a family – like that?"

Castle heard the disgust and sadness in her voice, but, once again, chose not to act on his curiosity at this point. It was only early days in terms of the case, and he sensed that this one was going to be an emotional rollercoaster in many ways.

He did, however realize the need for a reply before she became suspicious of his over-thinking mind.

"Why, Detective, I never figured you for the sentimental type," he said softly, a small yet sincere smile aimed in her direction.

She looked to him in the same instance, and returned the favor with a shrug.

"You never know, Castle."


	4. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch4

**So, I know it's not **_**that**_** many reviews/alerts, but still, having them makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (:**

**Anyway, here is Part 4 of **_**A Chill Runs Through Her Veins**_**; I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. **

**As for the names of the two girls, I found it somewhere (can't remember where) and used them, with the ages they looked on the screen.**

**P.S. I have planned out the span of this, and it runs throughout most of the series so far, so any characters that crop up, I assure you, they were invented before I started writing, and all have their place (:**

**Disclaimer: yeah, just for the record, I don't own Castle…**

**X X X X X**

The drive to White Plains was fairly uneventful. It gave Castle time to muse over Beckett's comments and retorts. He wasn't one to jump to conclusions; more like, spell out a million ridiculous scenarios and go from there.

He was startled out of his trance by the car door slamming. Beckett was already out and moving around the vehicle. Castle hastened to join her and, for once, didn't stumble clumsily whilst trying.

There were two young girls in the yard, peering carefully around the side of the house. Beckett would have thought the worst, had an older man, presumably their grandfather, run out from a hiding place, causing them to laugh loudly. A smile tried to make its way onto her face, but she refused it, remembering the severity of their visit.

"Mr. Davidson?"

Slowly, Beckett made her way toward the man and his grandchildren, reaching for her badge inside her jacket pocket.

The man reached over for a cane that was leaning against the house nearby, using it to fight his limp, before turning toward Beckett.

"Yes Ma'am," he said, a confirmation that he was in fact Mr. Ben Davidson, the father of their victim, "that's me."

She held up her badge and recited her name, an introduction that was now almost running on auto-pilot.

"Is there some place we could talk?" she asked, her tone and features softening as her gaze moved between the flustered grandfather and his confused and concerned grandkids.

"Yes, uh…" Mr. Davidson stammered, "Why don't we, uh, why don't we go inside."

He began to walk to the house, turning to the two young girls that remained perplexed.

"Girls, don't play in the street, okay?" he said, receiving a wordless nod from both of them, continuing toward the house, "Grandpa'll be out in a minute."

Beckett gave a look of consolation toward the girls, Simone and Bela she seemed to recall. Simone was the eldest, ten years old, while Bela was eight.

_Almost the same age as Johanna,_ Beckett thought to herself, following Mr. Davidson inside.

The girls watched as their grandfather, the detective and her partner walked inside, before turning to each other.

"Do you think it's about Mommy or Daddy?" Bela asked, her voice hopeful. Simone sighed, and shrugged.

"I don't know," she consoled, "come on, Bela, let's play."

Inside, Beckett and Castle were sitting opposite Mr. and Mrs. Davidson. It was never an easy task to tell of the loss of a loved one, particularly under these circumstances. However, the two seemed unsurprised by the news. But, Beckett knew that just because it was expected, didn't mean it would be any less of a shock.

"I think we've known for a while now," Mrs. Davidson said, her voice shaky, "that Melanie was not going to come home."

Castle's gaze flicked to their hands, which were now desperately holding one another for comfort. He couldn't imagine the situation; being told that your only child, having been missing for five years, was murdered.

Beckett, however difficult this was, had to push through.

"What do you remember about the days leading up to her disappearance?" she asked, her voice calm and understanding.

"Well, uh, we talked to her, a couple of days before," Mr. Davidson began, "well, uh, my wife did, I mean…"

"Everything seemed to be fine," Mrs. Davidson said exasperatedly.

"She didn't indicate in any way that she was leaving?" Detective Beckett enquired.

She was met with shaking heads and a dismayed 'No' from Mrs. Davidson.

"We're aware your daughter had some…issues," Castle stated.

"That had nothing to do with what happened here!" Mr. Davidson snapped angrily.

"How do you know?" Castle pushed, knowing that Melanie Cavanagh's priors were worth something.

Mr. Davidson shook his head, dropping his eyes to collect thoughts before he continued.

"You know, now you sound like the cop who first had the case," he recited irritably, "convinced she'd run away, convinced she was still on drugs –"

"But you didn't think that," Beckett interrupted. She knew there was no use in riling up an interviewee; the emotion compromised their answers. But, she understood Castle's persistence, the victim's history a very pliable lead at this point.

Still, Mr. Davidson took a breath, and calmed enough to continue speaking, his hands clasped around his wife's.

"Melanie…wasn't the greatest of moms," he said quietly, looking at the floor then back to Beckett, "but she loved her kids. She would've never left them."

"What about her husband, Sam?"

Mrs. Davidson let out a small scoff, "He thought it was drugs too."

"You know he waited _over a day_ before he reported her missing?" Mr. Davidson cried.

"She had run off before," Castle reasoned, once again forwarding the significance of her past.

"Look, I'm not gonna sit here and deny that," the older man began, "but if Sam thought our daughter was in trouble, why didn't he report her missing right away?"

Mrs. Davidson could see the antagonism in her husband's posture and words. She raised a hand to his shoulder, hoping he would remain calm. She knew his anger from the way the situation was handled originally, she felt it too.

"Why didn't he call for help?" Mr. Davidson continued, undeterred, "Even if she'd gotten locked up she would have been better off than –"

His wife squeezed his arm and gave an insistent sigh. He was getting riled up, letting his own angst get in the way. It wasn't so uncommon when it came to their daughter's disappearance.

"Ah, what the hell's the difference…" he mused, broken, shaking his head at his feet, "The time to ask these questions was five years ago."

He looked from his feet, to his wife, then back to the Detective opposite him, "But the cop who was on the case then didn't wanna ask them!"

Beckett could see the emotions were running high, and decided to leave it at that. She stood, along with Castle, thanked them for their help and wished them the best. Not that that kind of thing would help, but it reminded them of her intent to catch their daughter's killer.

"Sounds like they were pretty unhappy with original investigation," Castle said on their way back to the car.

"Yeah, well, from where I stand, they had every reason to be," Beckett agreed with a sigh, moving around to the driver's side door. She unlocked the door and stood facing Castle, who was continuing to talk.

"The guy whose case it was," he began, "d'you know him?"

Beckett shook her head, "No, Detective Sloan was before my time."

"He still around?"

"Well, if you count being a Sheriff in Jersey, then yeah," Beckett said, almost laughingly, "he's still around."

Sliding into the car, she glanced at the clock on the dash; 2pm. She took a look at her fuel gauge, and was relieved to see it full, meaning she wouldn't have to stop and get gas on the way back to the city.

She pulled out from the curb, and picked up her cell simultaneously. She was calling ahead to arrange an interview with Sheriff Sloan, but hesitated. Looking at the time, she would have to do it _after_ she'd picked up Johanna.

_Hmm, an afternoon of 'I told you so's' to catch a killer? I can handle that,_ Beckett thought to herself, smiling a little at the thought.

Castle was staring out the window, and didn't notice her musings. Beckett was thankful, otherwise she'd probably have to listen to his ridiculous questions or theories on her personal life.

She called in to Sloan, and arranged to speak with him at a café in Hoboken around 3:30pm. After that, she endured Castle's case-related shoptalk all the way back to the city.

**X X X X X**

Castle noticed the Detective looking nervously between her watch, her dash clock and the road in front of them. Since they'd hit the city, traffic had ensued.

_It's supposed to be quiet,_ she thought, annoyed.

"You okay?" Castle asked, causing her head to snap to him. She wasn't upset or afraid, more anxious, like she was in a rush.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"You know, Sloan's interview isn't for another half hour," he said, "we have plenty of time."

She nodded. After that, he stopped talking, much to her delight.

Another glance at the clock made her sigh, as she pulled out her phone. She hit a key then called, waiting for the other line to answer.

"_Hey, Kate!"_

"Hey, Julie, how are you?"

"_Ah, not bad, you know!"_

Castle heard the woman laugh along with Beckett, before the latter spoke again.

"Understandable!" she said, "Look, I'm on my way back from White Plains, and I thought I'd make it but traffic –"

"_You want me to wait with her?"_

"Yes, please, if you could."

"_Look, Kate, Faye is coming over today, I could just take her with me."_

"Thank you, but no," she said, looking to the clock again, "I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

"_I'm sure you will. See you soon."_

"Thanks Jules, see you in a few."

Beckett ended the call and sighed in relief. The traffic was clearing, and there were only moments away from the East Village.

"Conspiring with the girls are we?" Castle asked, an eyebrow raised and a glint in his eye.

"Just doing my job, Castle," she said, navigating her way through the streets with ease.

"Part of your job is scheming with other women?" he asked disbelievingly, with the hint of a teenage boy in his tone, "Which, and don't take this the wrong way, I find intensely alluring."

"You know, I have other jobs in my life aside from being a Detective," she snapped back, turning a corner sharply. However, this did not distract him the way she thought it might.

"Like what?" he asked excitedly, before clicking in epiphany, "Ooh! Detective by day, hooker by night?"

She shot him a glare, before searching the curb for a parking space. He gave a small laugh, watching her expertly reverse park on the left side of the street.

"But seriously, you live for this job, how could you possibly fit in anything else?" Castle argued, climbing carefully out of the car as she did.

Beckett could see children and parents already littering the sidewalk across the street, and she searched through the crowd as she crossed.

"My other 'job' is a little more…significant," Beckett said, pausing for a moment, then moving quickly along the path.

"How could something be more significant than – why are we at an elementary school?"

Beckett shook her head at her oblivious crime-writer partner, before her thoughts were interrupted.

"Mommy!"

Castle watched as a small, brown-haired girl came running up to the Detective and threw her tiny arms around her. He was a little shocked, and a bit disappointed in himself.

_Why didn't I see this one coming?_ he thought to himself, as he watched Beckett and her mini-me, mesmerized.

"Hey, JoJo," Beckett replied, smiling, before her daughter pushed her away.

"Mom, I _told_ you not to call me that!" she said, stepping back, her arms crossed.

"Oh yeah, she's definitely yours," Castle smirked, causing the young girl's eyes to avert to him.

"Who are you?" she asked, her eyes mimicking those of her mother's in an interrogation.

Beckett laughed and turned away from the two, but keeping them in sight, as she spoke to Jules, leaving her daughter to hassle her tag-along.

"I'm Richard Castle."

"Like the writer?"

"The very same."

There was a pause, in which Little Beckett adjusted her posture. She stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes became softer, but she still looked curious.

"And who might you be?" he asked, determined to move past the awkward stage.

"Why are you with my Mom?" she asked defiantly, tilting her head.

"I asked first."

"My question's more important."

"Oh, you're good!"

"Don't change the subject."

Castle was flabbergasted. He was getting outwitted by an elementary school kid!

"I'm doing a bit of research for my new book," he said with a nod, noticing Beckett and her friend – he assumed Jules – looking on in amusement.

"I know you are, but why are you with her _now_?"

"Oh, we're on a case," he added, understanding the context of her question. Obviously, Beckett had told her about their partnership.

"I'm Johanna, I'm eight," she returned.

"Nice to meet you, Johanna."

"Johanna?"

Her head turned at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Say goodbye to your friends, we have to go," she said, stepping over to where Castle stood, still in shock.

Johanna skipped over to meet her friends, hugging them, giggling and chatting.

"She is definitely your daughter," Castle said, shaking his head before looking to Beckett, who was smiling.

The young girl waved until her friends were around the corner, then turned back to her mother and Castle.

"Come on, Jo," Beckett called, holding out a hand, "let's go."

"Is he coming with us?" she asked, pointing up at the mystery writer.

"Yeah, Castle and I have some work to do so –"

"So where am I going?" Johanna cried, alarmed and looking a little frightened.

Beckett pulled the girl a little closer into her side, "You're coming with us, silly!"

Johanna jumped out excitedly, almost knocking into another couple.

"You mean it!"

Beckett laughed, shook her head, then led her daughter to the car. Johanna was giddy, skipping and humming her way to the dark vehicle.

"Then are we going to your office?" she asked. The prospect of going to work with her mother was exciting; she'd never been, but had met all of her workmates before. Granted, it was probably more the idea of seeing them than actually being allowed to go to the Precinct.

"Yes, yes we are sweetie."

"Will Javi and Kevin be there?" she asked, "And what about Lanie?"

Castle found that Beckett's daughter was just as adorable as the woman he got to work with every day. And, the pout Johanna gave upon discovering Lanie wasn't going to be there was identical to the ones Beckett used, but thought Castle didn't see.

They were now sitting in the car, Johanna buckled in the back, jabbering away excitedly about what she did at school.

"Hey Mr. Castle?" she asked, as they headed west toward New Jersey, "Did you know I've read _all_ of your books?"

"Really?" he asked, intrigued, looking from a blushing Beckett to an excited Johanna, "And which one did you like best?"

"I like Derrick Storm," she said, "but I can't wait to read the one you're gonna write about Mom!"


	5. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch5

**Righto, chapter 5 is here! I wanted this one to be more from Johanna's POV, considering it's her first time at work with Beckett, as well as me not particularly enjoying the Sheriff's character (he's such an ass!)**

**If there's stuff you think I should include or leave out, or if I'm going about things the wrong way or anything like that, let me know! Honest, I don't bite…hard ;) **

**X X X X X**

Johanna sat between her mother and Castle, a glass of lemonade in her hands. She was swinging her legs gently under the table, watching the frills on her socks appear, then disappear, appear, then disappear.

She was singing along with the song in the little diner in her mind. It was a nice place, Johanna thought; the waitresses looked like something out of a movie, and gave her the biggest smile when they gave her a slice of raspberry pie.

_Workin' 9 to 5_

_What a way to make a livin'_

_Barely gettin' by_

_It's all takin' and no givin'_

Still humming quietly to herself, she looked up at Sheriff Sloan, the man her mother was interviewing; she started to listen to their conversation. He looked distressed and flustered, while a sideways glance at her mother told her she was angry and frustrated.

"No, Sheriff, she was already dead," she growled, "You just didn't know it yet."

That was all she heard before Castle nudged her to the booth opening, where Beckett was now standing. She watched her mother drop a note on the table, before taking her daughter's shoulder and leading her out.

Johanna felt the tension in the hand on her shoulder, and reached up to place her own hand over it. It didn't relax completely, but she felt it loosen before it reached around and pulled her in. The young girl buried her head into her mother's side, clinging to the sides of her bright red trench coat.

When they reached the car, Beckett got a call on her cell, stepping away to take it, leaving Johanna with Castle. She continued to fiddle with the corner of her coat, before she pulled it tighter around her. It was cooler here than in the city, and she'd spent all day in a heated room. The chill outside wasn't very welcoming, and she just wanted to climb back in the car to stay warm.

"You okay?"

The sudden voice and warmth beside her caused Johanna to jump, before she looked up at Castle. She smiled and nodded gently.

"Yeah," she said, "I just left my scarf in the car, that's all."

Little Beckett was a curious character, Castle thought, as he watched her. She was so much like her mother, both in appearance and personality, but there was something else to her, that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Maybe it was just a little girl being her nine-year-old self.

"So, you go to work with your Mom a lot?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence that was only occasionally interrupted by Beckett in the background, talking on her cell.

Johanna shook her head.

"No," she said, almost laughing, "she said I couldn't come to work with her until I was five-and-a-half-feet tall."

Castle laughed along with the young girl, who was shrugging further into her coat.

"So this is just a one-time thing, I guess," Johanna added. With a nod from Castle, they slipped into another silence, before Beckett came over to join them.

Johanna was contemplating a puddle on the ground, so didn't hear the details of what was being said. She did, however, hear the car click unlocked and quickly scrambled into the back seat. It was still cool, but it was warmer than outside. Reaching over, she pulled the woolen scarf from the seat and wrapped it tightly around her neck, putting on her seat belt once she'd done so.

Sitting in the car, it was once again awkwardly quiet.

"Hey, Castle?" Johanna asked, leaning forward in her seat, "Have you started writing the book about Mom yet?"

Beckett shot a glare in the review mirror, Johanna replying with a cheeky grin. The antics of the pair caused Castle to laugh.

"Yes, yes I have," he said, "I've been writing it pretty quickly too."

"Is that cos Mom is a really good cop?" she asked, "So you have loads to write about?"

"Johanna, it's not_ about_ me, it's a character _based on_ me," Beckett corrected, a flush of red sitting on her cheeks.

"Close enough!" Johanna shot back, grinning.

Castle was still laughing gently to himself.

"Well, your mother is a very good cop," he said.

"And cos you're a really good writer," Johanna stated, looking over to the older man, who flashed a smile in the visor mirror at her.

He turned quickly to Beckett, who was 'concentrating' solely on the road.

"You know, Beckett," he began, "I quite like your daughter."

The Detective rolled her eyes, while Johanna let out a giggle in the back seat.

"You should," she said, "mentally you're both the same age."

Castle gasped mockingly.

"Detective, you really are cruel," he said playfully, both the Beckett's now rolling their eyes at him.

Johanna shook her head and sat back, before she spoke again.

"Castle, you're such a _drama queen!_"

**X X X X X**

Johanna's backpack was in one hand, and said little girl was clinging to the other as Beckett walked into the Precinct. Her daughter was chattering away to Castle about the books she was reading in school, a smile creeping onto her face at his enthusiasm. She forgot he had a daughter of his own sometimes.

"Do you have a favorite book?" he asked, taking his usual seat. Castle's eyes were drawn immediately to the identical mannerism of a brow furrowing in thought. He smiled at Johanna, who was still busy thinking, as Beckett joined them, pushing her daughter's bag under her desk.

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_," Johanna replied definitively, "that's my favorite."

Castle's mouth gaped a little at the ambitious nine-year-old reader. Well, what more could you expect from the daughter of Detective Kate Beckett.

"Okay, Johanna, listen up," Beckett began, her daughter turning to face her seated mother, "stay right here by my desk at all times. Do you understand?"

Johanna nodded.

"Don't wander away and talk to the other detectives –"

"What about Javi and Kevin?" she interrupted, inviting a stern look, "Sorry."

"If they come and say hi, that's okay," Beckett reiterated, "but otherwise, you stay here. The bathroom is that way, and the break room is over there if you want anything, but I don't want you to go anywhere else. Okay?"

Once again, Johanna nodded, not at all frustrated by her mother's overprotective nature. She'd grown used to it. Her mother gave her a smile and a kiss on the head, before she headed toward the break room for her afternoon coffee.

Johanna stared around the precinct, taking in everything she could see. There were desks covered in files, all with computers and telephones, some of them were ringing wildly. It was quieter than she was expecting, but just as bustling and active. Her eyes moved to the whiteboard that was sitting just to the side of Castle, with pictures and information covering it almost completely.

"Castle, is that the case Mom's working on?" she asked, pointing to the whiteboard.

By the way he was staring intently at it without hearing Johanna, she figured it was.

"Castle!"

"Hmm?"

His head snapped to Johanna who was looking at him quizzically.

"Hey, Johanna, can I ask you a question?" he asked, turning in his seat to face the small girl.

"Shoot!" she replied excitedly, jumping up to sit on the edge of her mother's desk.

"How much does your Mom tell you about her job?" Castle queried, resting an elbow on the desk beside Johanna's thigh.

Johanna looked from Castle, to her feet, the frills on her socks catching her attention again for a moment, before she looked back to the writer.

"Not whole lot," she said quietly, "she lets me read about it, and tells me to always be careful, but she doesn't let me be around it for real."

Castle's face turned into a small frown as Johanna sighed.

"Sometimes, when I'm at school, I get scared," she continued, her voice almost a whisper now.

The mystery writer reached up and put a hand on Johanna's knee, gently squeezing it. Her blue eyes dropped to see it, before her own small hands rested on top.

"What scares you?" Castle asked softly, looking right at her, waiting for her to look up again.

He heard a sniff, before she looked back up at him, her eyes glistening.

"I get scared that – that she might not come home," she whispered, "just like –"

"Hey, so Esposito said…"

Beckett paused to see her daughter staring up at her, her eyes wet, and Castle's hands holding Johanna's.

"You okay, sweetie?" she asked quietly, bending down to the small girl's eye level. She was met with a nod, before little arms were clasped around her shoulders, Johanna's face buried in the side of her neck.

"I love you, Momma."

Beckett smiled, rubbing her daughter's back gently and holding her tight. She didn't get to experience this as often as she'd like; Beckett could get over the fact it was at work.

"I love you too, JoJo."

**X X X X X**

**A/N: so, this one doesn't really advance the case any, but I wanted to use it to establish the relationship Johanna has or is going to have with Castle and also the mother-daughter relationship she has with Beckett.**

**Any thoughts; I'm open (:**


	6. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch6

**The only thing I have to say about this chapter is SORRY it's so late! I know I normally update very couple of days, but things have been crazy lately!**

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this, and it was worth the wait. It's a little longer (for me) than usual, so hope that makes up for the fact it was late :s**

**WAIT….**

**I Don't Own Castle. Dammit.**

**X X X X X**

Beckett sent Johanna off to get a soda from the break room, giving her a chance to share what Esposito had called her about.

"So, Esposito needs us over at a storage place on the West Side," she said, quickly scrawling down an address. Castle nodded and stood up, before he began laughing gently. The sound caused Beckett's head to snap up.

"What?" she demanded, looking at him, irritated. Instead of speaking, he just pointed in the direction of the break room door.

Johanna was standing in the doorway, soda in hand, smiling up at a speaking Captain Montgomery. The little girl laughed loudly along with him as they began to head back toward Beckett's desk, still conversing.

Rolling her eyes, Beckett stood up, hands on her hips and sighed, looking to her daughter, who stopped beside Castle. She was mid-sip of her drink, and froze at her mother's look. It wasn't one of anger, more so one of playful sarcasm.

"I thought I told you not to bother anyone?" Beckett asked, raising an eyebrow, a grin still playing on her lips.

"Mom, please…Roy was bothering _me_," Johanna said dramatically with a grin before she took herself over and plonked on Beckett's chair amongst gaping mouths and smirks.

"I'll remember that the next time you need help with the vending machine, Little Beckett," Montgomery added with a point and a nod.

"Aye aye, Captain!" Johanna giggled, offering a playful salute which left Montgomery laughing on his way back to his office.

"Well, that's one way to get brownie points with the boss," Castle joked, receiving a glare from Beckett as she pulled on her coat.

"Come on, Jo," she said, holding up her daughter's parka, helping her into it while she still clung to her can.

"Where are we going?" she asked eagerly, following Beckett and Castle as they headed toward the elevator, "Somewhere cool?"

"If you think a storage place on the West Side is cool, then yeah, sure," Beckett said, her words dripping with sarcasm. She glanced down at Johanna, who was now glaring at her over her soda, her mother's grin not disappearing.

"I know, she's mean, right?" Castle whined, looking at the young girl for confirmation.

"Castle, you're such a baby!" Beckett exclaimed, shaking her head, baiting an immediate reply.

"At least I'm not a party pooper!"

"Sorry, _Ricky_, but the naughty kids don't get any cake."

"I never said anything about cake at this party –"

"Who even said it was a party?"

"Isn't every day down here a party?"

"No!"

"Only when I'm around?"

"Castle!"

"You guys are worse than the kids in my class…"

Johanna's comment caused both the adults in the elevator to look at her, Castle grinning at his achievement, Beckett gaping at the admission.

There was a ding, that signaled the elevator had reached the parking garage, but the two continued to stare at the little girl.

"What?" Johanna cried, as she began to walk out of the elevator, leaving the stunned adults behind, "You are!"

**X X X X X**

"Kevin! Javi!"

At the sound of their first names, the two male detectives turned, confused, then grinned at the little girl running toward them.

"Hey, Lil B!" Esposito called, stepping forward to pick Johanna up in a tight bear hug, "How's it hangin'?"

Johanna simply giggled, as she was put back on her feet, then gave a wordless yet warm embrace to Ryan.

Stepping back to stand beside Castle, Johanna watched as her mother and fellow cops turned serious to discuss the latest happenings in the case.

From what Johanna could tell, they were about to talk to the guy who had dumped the body at the construction site. She had watched her mother's eyes flick to her worriedly at every mention of the body, but if she were being honest, she was fascinated.

"Okay, Castle and I will go and talk to the guy and Jo," she said, turning to her daughter, who had since rested her head on Castle's hip, "you can hang with the boys."

Johanna stepped forward, her mouth ajar in disbelief, letting Castle's hand fall from her shoulder.

"Aww, what!" she cried, "_Mom!_"

"Johanna, you know my rules –"

"But Mom, I already know what's going on, _please?_"

She dragged on the last word, her mouth closing to a pout. However, the expression on her mother's face told her she was _not_ going to budge.

"No. And that is that."

Grumbling in defeat, the young girl wandered over to join Ryan and Esposito. Beckett didn't hear what was said next, but whatever it was caused her daughter's face to light up immediately; she figured they'd mentioned ice cream. Again!

All thoughts of her daughter's late night sugar rush were quickly removed from her mind as she headed in to meet Albert Bolland, the owner of the truck that had been used to move Melanie Cavanagh's frozen body. However, when confronted, he wasn't extremely willing to share.

"What body?" he asked irritably, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"A witness saw someone driving one of your yellow trucks and dumping the body!" Beckett explained, just as annoyed as Bolland was, though her infliction was through his untruthfulness.

"You're lying!" he cried, turning to face the Detective and Castle, "No one saw!"

"Ouch! Wow…" Castle exclaimed, "Maybe you should have tried denying it first."

Bolland's face creased at being caught out, as he looked between both Castle and Beckett.

"Let me help you," Beckett began, her tone infuriated, "Melanie Cavanagh, mother of two. Wife of Sam Cavanagh."

"Okay," Bolland started, flustered, "look, I dumped her, but I swear, I –"

"You didn't kill her, right?" Beckett interjected.

"That's right! I found her!"

"Ah-huh…"

"I never even knew she was here!"

"What do you mean 'here'?" Castle asked, watching the man sigh.

"Sixth floor," he replied, "Renters were in arrears; we usually give them three months, then we cut the locks and sell the belongings."

Beckett and Castle looked between each other, both confused and both spinning theories in their heads in regard to the information they were receiving.

"Only this time, all I find is a freezer, plugged into a light outlet," he continued, before adding, "which, by the way, is totally illegal!"

"You didn't think it was illegal to store a dead body in a freezer?" Beckett bit back incredulously.

Bolland looked taken aback, almost angered at the allegation, but persisted nonetheless.

"You think I knew?" he cried, "When I opened it up, I nearly had a heart attack!"

"You could have called the cops," Beckett added slowly and firmly, her eyes set intensely narrowed on her converser.

"So I could make the front page of the _Ledger_?" Bolland mocked, "Yeah, that's good for business! What if it's a mob hit? I mean, I got a family!"

"So did she!"

Beckett's outburst broke the man's rambles, and caused Castle's hand to reach her arm and stop her. This was the turmoil that was going to come out of the emotional woodworks for her, he knew it. The pent up anger at a case gone long cold because of people who hadn't come forward; it just didn't seem right in her mind.

"So, you find her," Castle began, "next logical step…dump her at a construction site?"

Sighing again, Bolland rolled his neck and his eyes minutely before he continued.

"I know a guy who works over there," he said, "so when I find the body, I figure that's the place, right?"

After taking a moment to collect herself, Beckett spoke, "Show us where you found her."

Leading them up on the elevator, Bolland took them right to the door of the storage unit and let them in. Inside, the room was dark and dingy, with the only light coming from Beckett's flashlight and a murky window. Sitting in the back corner, was a freezer, its lead running out of the light overhead. Walking over, Beckett pulled a pen from her pocket and used it to lift the lid open, revealing the icy interior. There were patches of hair left frozen in place on the walls, but other than that, there was no evidence a body had been stored in the small freezer.

"Five years in there," Beckett mused, "nobody deserves that."

She and Castle gave the small white good another once over, while more questions were asked.

"How'd they make payments for the unit?" she queried, "Check? Credit card?"

"Cash," Bolland said, "every six months. But like I said, they were three months overdue."

"Puts the last payment at two months after her husband was killed," Beckett told Castle, both sets of eyes not parting from the freezer.

"Hard to make payments when you're dead," Castle stated, beckoning a knowing murmur of agreement from his partner.

"That camera in your office, you got footage of the guy who made payments?" Beckett asked. It was a long shot, given the time frame, but, she had been known to be lucky before.

"That was nine months ago;" he scoffed, "we keep maybe two weeks at a time."

This was not one of those lucky situations. But, despite the disappointment from the unknown renter, Beckett was able to conclude one thing.

"Sloan was right," she said, "Sam Cavanagh didn't have anything to do with it."

"Well, if not Sam," Castle mused dramatically, "then who?"

**X X X X X**

After last night's interview at the storage company, Beckett had let her team depart, practically demanding they start fresh in the morning. Castle stood at the door of his freezer, his eyes flitting between the various leftovers and desserts frozen within.

He was so focused, he almost didn't notice the adjoining fridge door opening and his daughter's form appear beside his.

"You know we have air conditioning," Alexis Castle said, grinning inwardly at her father's antics. He would often sit staring for hours at a time doing 'research' for his books or just being his usual child-like self.

"I'm just trying to figure out why someone would put a dead body in freezer…" he mused, both as a statement, but also a question. He'd learned through long years as a best-selling novelist and a father that his daughter could often surprise him with the right story to fit.

"Is this a Nikki Heat or Detective Beckett question?" Alexis asked, closing the fridge and turning to her dad.

"Beckett."

Nodding, she began to recollect out loud, "That's right; the Nikki Heat thing was about incinerating a body in a self-cleaning oven."

"Mm-hmm," Castle murmured, "I mean, you keep things in a freezer to keep them for later, but once they're there, you rarely ever go back."

Holding a tub of spaghetti, he turned it over in his hands; _when did I put that here?_ he thought to himself, re-iterating his own point then and there.

"If I was putting a body in a freezer," Alexis offered, "it'd be because I was trying to hide it."

"Until you stop paying for the storage space," Castle said, this aspect of the case being the difficulty at this point.

"Did I stop or did something stop me?" Alexis asked, delving into the roleplaying game Castle often began to understand his characters actions or motives. It had helped him out of writer's block on many an occasion, and was now proving to be helpful in reality too. Closing the door, he turned to Alexis, astounded.

"It's family moments like these I'll never forget," he said, grinning, his daughter scoffing and rolling her eyes.

"With a good therapist, hopefully I will!" she exclaimed, moving off to leave her father grinning after her.

**X X X X X**

Across town, Kate Beckett was standing at the kitchen bench opposite her daughter, who was seated on a bar stool on the other side. Together, they were preparing Johanna's lunch for school.

"Mom, where did you put the cucumber?" Johanna asked, looking quizzically around the bench to find it. She was lifting up almost every obstruction on the counter to find it, but it wasn't there.

"Uh, I think we ran out…" Kate said, walking to the fridge. Pursing her lips, she scanned the shelves and checked the drawers, but closed the door unsuccessful.

"Sorry kiddo, you'll have to go without," she said, shrugging and then returning to the green lunchbox she'd been packing.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"The lady who was in the freezer, what happened to her daughters?" Johanna asked quietly, "Because they don't have a Dad anymore either…so where'd they go?"

Kate sighed. This was one of the reasons she hadn't wanted Johanna to go to work with her; there were too many appalling parts of the world presented there, things she didn't want filling her daughter's mind.

"They're fine," Kate replied, "they live with their grandparents, in White Plains."

Johanna watched her mother fuss about with her lunch, her eyes pained and her lips taut.

"Is that what would happen to me?" the young girl almost whispered, "Would I go to Grandpa's?"

Kate's head snapped up, her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes glistening.

"Johanna –"

"Were they happy?"

"Wha- huh?"

"The little girls," Johanna urged, "the ones living in White Plains…are they happy, even though they have no parents?"

Watching her little girl plough on without stumbling over her words caught Kate by surprise. It took her a moment before she was able to make so much as a noise.

"Uh, yeah, Jo, they seemed pretty happy," she replied, nodding, "why?"

"Just wondering."

Johanna's eyes were downcast, and she was fiddling gently with the edge of her shirt. Her bottom lip was being ravaged by her teeth, as she let a million wild thought run through her head. She didn't even notice her mother move around the bench until her hands were clasped around her own.

"Johanna Beckett, you listen to me," Kate whispered, her words choked as she fought off tears, "there is not a thing in this world that can stop me coming home to you."

"But Momma, you know that's not true," Johanna sobbed, "what if something happens – something real bad – something you can't stop?"

"Sweetie, I –"

"I know I tell my friends you're like Superwoman," she blabbered on, "how you're out catching bad guys and saving people, but you're not a superhero, Mom, you don't have magic powers or super strength."

Johanna stopped, panting from her one breath spiel, both girls silent and staring at one another.

"You're just a regular Mom," Johanna whispered, "who kicks butt like a superhero."

Kate's mouth was still quivering from tears, but she managed to pull a small smile for her distraught daughter. Leaning forward, she pulled Johanna into a deep hug, clutching every part of her child into her body, noting every experience with all of her senses. She felt the small hands of her nine-year-old cling around her neck and grasp her shoulders, her gentle shaking sobs in the crook of her neck. Pulling her tighter still, she laid a kiss in her daughter's hair, before leaning gently on the top of her head.

"You know what, JoJo?" Kate began quietly, breaking away gently, but not going far. Her daughter's bright, blue eyes were staring straight into her own green ones. Both hands were on the young girl's shoulders as she uttered her last words, ones which spread the smile from ear to ear.

"You're my superhero."

**X X X X X**

**A/N: So, that last part was basically done because;**

**I love the home lives of our dynamic duo, particularly Beckett, so I showed both the well-known Castle version plus my own Beckett version :p**

**I wanted to show the differences in the two parent-child relationships; the different issues and attitudes toward the make-believe and reality of murder and death etc.**

**So yeah, hope this tickles your fancy (:**

**Kayla x**


	7. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch7

**Woo! New Chapter **_**and**_** New Story within one hour! I'm on a roll! My new story is **_**The Way It Should Have Been**_**, if you're feeling kind, you should check it out (:**

**Well, I don't own Castle (except lil Johanna, she's MINE! (: ) or **_**To Kill a Mockingbird**_**, but other than that, I haven't a lot to say about this chapter.**

**Hope you enjoy the interactions (:**

**X X X X X**

Beckett walked into the precinct, pulling her coat off as she went. Castle was walking alongside her. They had just returned from an interview with Charles Wyler, the best friend of the vic's husband. He was able to shed some light on where Melanie had disappeared to before and after her wedding day.

According to Wyler, she was going to see an ex-boyfriend, Kevin Henson, who was also pretty heavy in drugs. Beckett didn't find this surprising, given Melanie Cavanagh's history with illegal substances.

Amongst the investigation, Beckett still had the nagging recollection of the conversation with her daughter that morning. Despite her age, Johanna was fairly understanding of the hazards of Kate's job, and so far had not had to experience them. Beckett prayed her little girl wouldn't have to at all, but she knew that was highly unlikely.

However, the words were somewhat forgotten, as she'd watched Johanna skip smiling into the school building, waving brightly and calling 'I love you'. The sight had made Beckett more determined than ever to solve this case; if anyone deserved peace, it was those kids.

Looking through a file she'd had put together on her way back, she was confronted by the Captain, Castle peering over her shoulder as she looked through the file.

"Kevin Henson, Melanie's ex-boyfriend," she began, "he's serving a year for met in South Jersey. He went in just after the last payment was made on the storage unit."

Montgomery read over the file, going over key details and narrowing his eyes. After another moment, he looked up at Castle, who was offering his insights.

"He stops payments, storage guy finds her body," Castle said with a look and a hint of sarcasm.

"Quite a coincidence," Montgomery added, the same level of sarcastic tone evident in his voice as well.

"And he was also on the outside when her husband was whacked," Beckett added, taking the file from Montgomery who shook his head.

"Looks like it's worth a trip to South Jersey."

**X X X X X**

Although Henson hadn't been a bad element in the case, he had proven to have some significant information. Apparently, Melanie had been trying to leave her husband, Sam, as he was having an affair. After paying another visit to Charles Wyler, it was confirmed; Sam was straying with a woman from his bank, Elizabeth Forte.

Soon after, she was in Beckett's interrogation room, begging her not to talk to her husband. Fortunately, she was co-operative; they discovered another side to Sam, a violent and suggestive one. He had mentioned to Mrs. Forte on several occasions the thought of his wife no longer being 'in the picture'. Beckett was angered, no, infuriated that the woman had let such information slide, information that could have led to the solving of Melanie's disappearance years before.

After finishing the interview and filling in the murder board, she'd sent Castle and her fellow detectives home. She was thankful she'd called her father to pick Johanna up from school; it was his afternoon with her anyway.

She spent the rest of the day in front of the board; contemplating every notation, every picture and every link. Anything that could possibly lead to the discovery of how Sam had managed to dispose of his wife and have her end up in a freezer for five years.

Sighing, she grabbed her keys and made for the elevator. It was late, and she needed to pick up Johanna. Checking her watch, she nodded to herself as the elevator dinged closed. After collecting her daughter, she'd still have time to make one more little pit stop across town.

**X X X X X**

In the Castle loft, Castle was challenging his daughter to an intense game of laser tag. They were shooting wildly, hiding behind pillars, commando rolling across the floor. Castle was about to make his winning shot, when Martha, his mother, came waltzing into the room.

"Has anyone seen my purse?" she complained, dressed in a robe with an avocado mask on her face, her hair pulled back by a matching headband. Alexis took the opportunity to hide behind her grandmother, shielding herself from her father's line of fire.

"Mom, we are totally doing battle on the field of honor," he said, his voice still in the robotic accent honed by most 'Voltarians'.

"How old are you?" she asked, exasperated, shaking her head as she continued to search the living room for her bag.

"HA!"

Castle was exposed, as Alexis fired, hitting him square in the chest, 'killing' him instantly. His face fell, as he pulled his goggles up from over his eyes and bean to wander, panting, toward the two women.

"Mom!" he whined, as her search was yet to yield a result, "Now Voltar will never rule the omniverse!"

Martha shrugged, internally wondering how old her son _really_ was. Alexis gave a gloating grin in his direction, before the buzzing of the door caused each head to turn.

"Someone order food?" he asked, receiving shaking heads. Gun in hand, and goggles now secured firmly back over his eyes, he moved forward.

"Better go check this out!"

He reached the door, pulling it open sharply before aiming the gun at whoever happened to be there. He was shocked to see Detective Beckett.

"Hi?" she greeted hesitantly. Johanna was at her side, giggling at the sight of Castle in his laser get up, but quieted down when others joined him.

"Who is it?" came the eager query of Alexis, peering over his right shoulder, while Martha appeared at his right.

"Uh, Detective Beckett."

"Darling, are we entertaining?" Martha asked, a wide smile on her face as she looked the detective up and down. She gave a glance at Johanna, whose mouth was gaping a little at the Castle family.

"Dad!" Alexis exclaimed, interrupting, "Manners!"

Castle gave a quick, awkward chuckle, "Right!"

He offered out a hand to Beckett's shoulder, ushering her and her young daughter inside. Beckett nodded curtly, giving Johanna a nudge as they headed in. The two brunettes were gob smacked by the loft, Johanna even uttering a quiet 'Whoa!' at its size.

The door clicked, causing them both to turn to face the three before them.

"Beckett, you remember my mother, Martha," Castle began, gesturing to the waving and smiling woman, before pointing to his daughter, "and Alexis of course."

Alexis murmured a nervous 'Hi', with a wave, Beckett nodding.

"Uh, guys this is my daughter, Johanna," she introduced, as Johanna took a small step forward, smiled and waved at the two.

"Why hello there, Johanna," Martha said, walking briskly forward to give the small girl a hug, "wonderful to meet you! You know, you look just like your mother, it's really quite uncanny –"

"Mother," Castle interrupted, noting the young girl's forced smile, "don't frighten the girl."

Martha slapped his shoulder gently, shaking her head, before giving another big smile to the young Beckett, who returned it, more genuinely this time.

Johanna moved her gaze to the other red-head, Alexis, giving her a small smile.

"Alexis, why don't you take Johanna to go see your book collection?" Castle suggested, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder, "I know she's a very avid reader."

Alexis nodded, holding out a hand to the nine-year-old, who took it willingly. Leading her up the stairs, she made a slow beeline for her room, undoing her laser tag vest as she went.

"So, you like reading, huh?" Alexis asked, leading Johanna into her room. It didn't take her long to find the ceiling high bookcase that was full of classics.

"Uh, yeah, I do," Johanna said slowly, taking in the selection, smiling as her eyes passed over a particular edition. Reaching up gingerly, she turned to Alexis, who was nodding gently. Smiling, Johanna took the novel from its shelf and turned it over in her hands. She let her fingers dance over the title embellished in the cover, holding it carefully, as it looked just as well-thumbed as her own copy.

"You ever read that book?" Alexis asked, sitting on the edge of her bed, soon joined by Johanna, who was flipping it open to the first page. Nodding, she smiled.

"I've read it six times," she said, looking up to the older girl beside her, "It's my favorite."

Alexis' eyes widened, clearly impressed with the ambition of the girl; even she hadn't read it that many times. She watched as Johanna's fingers ran under each line, as she read silently to herself for the moment. Looking back to Alexis, she shuffled a little closer and moved her finger back to the first word.

"Maybe we could read a little bit together?" Johanna suggested, smiling broadly at her companion.

Letting an arm drop around the young girl's shoulders, pulling her close, Alexis nodded.

"Sure," she agreed, feeling Johanna's body snuggle into hers, "do you want to start?"

Eagerly nodding, Johanna took a small breath, and then turned to the book in her hands.

"_When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem's dears of never being able to play football again were assuaged, he was rarely self-conscious about his injury…"_

XX

Downstairs, Beckett and Castle had been theorizing, coming up with a fairly solid concept; Melanie never left her apartment alive. Meaning, she had been murdered in her home, most likely while her family were home. Beckett cringed at the nerve of Sam Cavanagh; killing the mother of your two daughters while they were still in the house? There were a lot of things in this case that made Kate Beckett angry, while other aspects clung to a deeper, personal issue.

Castle could tell that this case touched Beckett in a more intimate way than simply being a tough case. As well as he could figure, she had had a similar experience personally, where she was on the other side, where emotions hit hardest. Where the person lost was someone close. He decided not to approach it tonight, giving in to his writer's curiosity for a safer bet of good judgment.

Now that they knew Melanie Cavanagh was killed in her apartment, they decided to pay a visit to the surly tenant in their old apartment. They needed to find out how Sam had managed to murder his wife then hide her body under everyone's nose.

Beckett took a glance at her watch, her eyes widening at the time.

"Geez, Castle, it's late," she said, standing up in a hurry, "I better get Johanna home; she has school in the morning."

"Of course," Castle said, standing with her and guiding her out of his office.

As they headed up the stairs, Beckett marveled at the expanse and beauty of the loft.

"You're place is really nice," she said, then reconsidered, "in fact, I'm pretty sure 'really nice' isn't adequate."

Castle chuckled, placing a hand on the small of her back as they quietly and slowly approached his daughter's bedroom door. If she'd noticed his contact, she didn't make it known. Truth be told, she had noticed, and was going to scold him, but was distracted by her Johanna's voice coming from the bedroom.

Holding up a hand, Beckett stopped Castle and listened, her daughter's voice sharp, flowing and concise. She was reading aloud.

Both adults put their ears closer to the door to listen, their proximity going unnoticed by them both.

"_People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything. A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County._"

Stopping at the sound of a creaking door, both Alexis and Johanna turned to see their parents standing in the doorway. Beckett was smiling, her eyes glistening, while Castle was grinning at both girls.

"Sounds like you girls had fun," he said, walking over and sitting down beside Alexis, Beckett following to sit beside her own daughter.

"Johanna was just reading me _To Kill a Mockingbird_," Alexis said, sounding utterly impressed, "she's a really good reader. She didn't even stumble once."

"That's because she's read it so many times," Beckett teased, poking her daughter's cheek gently, getting a quiet giggle.

Standing, Beckett held out her hands to Johanna, which she took, before hoisting her playfully to her feet, laughing.

"You ready to go, Jo?" Beckett asked, getting a nod, before the young girl looked back to Alexis, leaning into her mother's stomach.

"You'll have to finish reading to me sometime, Johanna," Alexis said, smiling, "I really enjoyed listening."

"You mean it?" Johanna asked excitedly, standing up straight and clasping her hands under her chin.

"Can I, Momma?" she turned and begged, "Can I come back sometime and see Alexis? Pretty please, Momma?"

The three others in the room smiled and laughed to themselves at the small girl, Alexis' cheeks going a little pink.

"Of course you can, sweetie," Beckett replied, nodding, "as long as it's okay with Castle."

Looking up to him, she saw the smile on his face. Apparently, Johanna had made quite the impression on both Castles.

"Any of the Beckett girls are welcome at any time," he said, standing with Alexis and grinning widely. Slowly, the four began to walk out of the room, Beckett and Castle confirming what time they were headed out in the morning, Johanna and Alexis discussing who should read next time.

"I think you should keep reading," Alexis said, "you read so beautifully."

"But I wanna hear you read," Johanna reasoned, taking her coat from her mother now they'd reached the front door.

"Maybe we'll just have to share the reading then, huh?" said the red-head, moving forward to give the young girl a hug.

Johanna had finished nodding, then wrapped her arms affectionately around her new friend, wishing she could stay. But, she was sleepy; she had to go home to bed.

"Good night, Alexis," she said, waving, turning to Castle, "Night Castle!"

They bade their farewells, closing the door gently between them, as Castle draped an arm gently over Alexis' shoulder on their way to the kitchen.

"So, what did you think of Baby Beckett?" he asked, leaning on the kitchen island next to her, awaiting a reply eagerly.

Alexis smiled, looking up into her Dad's eyes.

"She's adorable," she began, "but not in a cute-little-kid way, more like a that-was-me-when-I-was-that-old way."

"You think so?" Castle asked abruptly, "Cos, I was thinking the same thing!"

Laughing, she left a kiss on her father's cheek, squeezed her shoulder then began to walk toward the stairs.

"Good night, Dad."

"Night Pumpkin."

Turning to head to his own bedroom, Castle contemplated his daughter's words. Johanna was a lot like Alexis had been when she was younger, but she was also intensely Kate.

_Maybe if Beckett and I had a kid, it'd turn out like Jo_, he thought, laughing at the ridiculous idea as he shut off the loft lights.


	8. A Chill Runs Through Her Veins Ch8

**Okie dokie artichoke; new chapter!**

**Other than the whole i-don't-own-anything-you-recognize thing, I don't have a whole lot to say, just that this may be the close of the 'A Chill Runs Through Her Veins' section, before we move on! **

**That being said, you'll be interested to know there's yet **_**more**_** we didn't know about Beckett! **

**Dun-duuuuuuun!**

**X X X X X**

With both their daughters at school early, Beckett and Castle had gotten a jump on the day, heading over to the apartment once belonging to Samuel and Melanie Cavanagh.

"They told me he was shot in a mugging," whined the current tenant, Roger, "now you're telling me he was killed _here_, in my apartment?"

"Not him, his wife!" Castle corrected, annoyed.

"His _wife_?" Roger cried, "What kind of family _was_ this?"

However, his complaints went unnoticed, as both the detective and writer gazed about the apartment, trying to develop a possible scenario in their heads.

"All right, so, you and I are married," Castle began, putting himself metaphorically into the shoes of Sam Cavanagh. However, his characterization was met with much skepticism from Beckett.

"We are _not_ married!" she exclaimed, gaping at him.

"Relax!" Castle insisted, "It's just pretend."

"I don't wanna pretend!"

"Scared you'll like it?" he grinned, a glint in his eye, as she walked toward him, arms rigid at her sides.

"Okay," she began, glaring right into his eyes, "If we're married, I want a divorce!"

"Are you two like this all the time?" interrupted the irritated Roger, his arms now crossed.

"Yes!" they replied in unison, both aggravated, before Castle continued.

"All right, we're not married; but _they_ were!"

Beckett huffed at his defiance, as he continued to 'write the scene'.

"Let's say the doorman's right," he said, "Melanie gets home about four o'clock."

Thinking for a moment, Beckett unknowingly fell into Castle's little game, "She'd have to make dinner for the kids!"

Both their heads turned toward the small kitchen before they began to walk toward, their eyes scanning the room for any indication of what happened next.

"Then Sam comes home," Castle continues, pursing his lips on his venture about the kitchen.

"Banker's hours," Beckett stated, "around six o'clock."

They turned to each other quickly, their theory rapidly growing.

"Figure, kids have already eaten…" he mused, looking to Beckett, who snapped at a thought.

"So they're, what, uh…watching TV in the bedroom!" she exclaimed, gaining a click of kudos from Castle and a whine from Roger.

"In _my_ bedroom?"

"Shh!" Castle cried, silencing him, "We're on a roll!"

"They have a fight," Beckett began, as her mystery writer tag along turned back to face her, inching closer with each step.

"About the affair," he said.

"About Philadelphia."

"Things get heated…"

"And she turns her head…"

"He whacks her with something…"

Reaching out, Castle grabbed the nearest, heavy object, swiveling back to Beckett, pan raised.

"A pot!" she exclaimed, holding up her own metal weapon, before glancing at his more likely one, "Or a pan."

"Bam!" he cried, "Fractures her skull. It's over."

They lowered the pot and pan respectively, before Beckett's eyes widened, her hand clasping around the pot inadvertently.

"Except the kids are still in the bedroom," she said, rushing to the kitchen door way, peering around the apartment, searching for a possible escape route. Castle followed her after replacing his pan on the counter, as she continued to muse over the events of the evening.

"He's gotta figure out a way of getting her out of the apartment without them seeing," she muttered, biting her lip in thought, her brow furrowing intensely. Castle followed with his equally predictable lip pursing, as his eyes landed on the door just a few feet down the hall.

"Hallway bathroom!"

All three heads spun to stare at the bathroom, before Castle made his way in, Beckett following close behind, pot still in hand.

"He needed to buy time," Castle explained, as he looked around; _nice bathroom_ he thought.

"Okay," Beckett began, her eyes doing the same once over of the room before her eyes fell on the free standing tub in the middle of the room.

"So, he puts the body in the tub, closes the door," she continued, closing the door in Roger's face, "and tells the kids that Mom went to the store."

"Which, according to the case file, the doorman was never able to substantiate," Castle finished, the hint of a grin beginning to form on his face.

"Okay, so no car," Beckett murmured, turning back to the tub and searching the windows and other exits of the room, "how does he get the body out of the apartment?"

The door opened behind them, startling them, as Roger poked his head in the room.

"Maybe he hailed a cab," he offered, Beckett unsure of whether his tone was sarcastic or sincere.

"Yeah, maybe the cabbie and the doorman helped him stuff the body in the trunk," she said to the man, raising an eyebrow before turning back to Castle, "how much do you tip for that these days?"

However, the grin she expected to find on Castle's face was replaced by epiphany.

"The doorman!" he exclaimed.

"Castle, I'm joking," she snapped quickly, but his look did not change or his voice falter.

"What if the body was already in the freezer when he took it out of the apartment?" he asked rhetorically and incredulously. His writer's mind was admiring the plot, as Beckett's eyes swam with questions.

"Freezer?" Roger interrupted, scoffing. He was beginning to get on Beckett's nerves.

"He'd have needed a truck!"

Castle moved past the Detective and toward the grumpy man, his face still wearing the curious expression of moments ago.

"In my building, if you have something picked up or delivered, you have to sign for it," he explained, hoping Roger would catch on to his theory.

"Yeah, here too," he began, "Delivery that big, you have to sign the ledger."

"The ledger?" Beckett asked. Maybe this guy was useful after all. However, the annoyed look he gave her once she'd asked was enough to make her think otherwise.

"The doorman's ledger, downstairs," he replied irritably, his arms still crossed.

Her thoughts now rested solely on the ledger he spoke of, as she thrust the pot into his hands and barged past, Castle following behind excitedly.

Once downstairs, they discovered that there had only been one delivery the day Melanie disappeared, to a Mrs. Marsh in an apartment on the same floor.

"Yeah, that's my name," she sighed, as she peered around the corner of her door, the chain still in place.

"I know it was five years ago, Mrs. Marsh," Beckett began, "but the only delivery that day was to your apartment. If you remember anything at all about the delivery…"

"I remember I had to go downstairs and sort everything out," she said, her annoyance apparent as she shook her head.

"What do you mean 'sort everything out'?" the detective asked, her brows knit together and Castle's mouth gaping ever so slightly as thoughts churned in his head.

"I told the doorman I never ordered a freezer," she said, exasperated, but the guy brought it on up! He loaded it on the freight elevator while I was talking to the door man!"

Beckett was confused but thinking; so Mrs. Marsh's apartment had been used as a distraction, to lead the investigators in circles, unknowing the intentions for the freezer.

"So what happened when you were downstairs?" she asked.

Sighing again, Mrs. Marsh continued frustrated.

"I told the doorman they got the wrong apartment again," she explained, "and then by the time I got back upstairs the guy was gone."

Castle and Beckett exchanged knowing looks; the freezer had been used to transport Melanie from her apartment to the storage unit where she was held for over five years.

"Does this have anything to do with that missing woman?" Mrs. Marsh asked, causing both of the heads on the other side of the door to look to her, slightly apologetic.

"Yeah, it does," Beckett confirmed, as Castle nodded.

"Yeah, cos I already told the other cop," she snapped.

"Detective Sloan?"

"I don't know his name," she added, "but I told him everything, same as you."

Giving one another a look, Castle and Beckett bade Mrs. Marsh farewell, before they left. Beckett figured it was time to ask Mr. Wyler what _really_ happened to Melanie Cavanagh.

**X X X X X**

After the interrogation, Beckett was somewhat astounded by the lack of civility in people, and their ability to overlook the truth to only benefit themselves. As it had turned out, Charles Wyler was the one who arranged for the transport of Melanie Cavanagh's corpse, as well as the one making payments biannually for her storage space. By neglecting to make a payment, he had inadvertently caused Melanie's body to be discovered, and then disposed of accordingly.

"Her body gets dumped because this guy Wyler didn't pay a bill?" Captain Montgomery asked, his note of disbelief just as evident as Beckett's, "That's…"

"You can say it; pretty cold," Castle interjected, "Ironic, that such a selfish act ultimately revealed the truth."

Montgomery looked from Beckett to Castle, pondering on the writer's words before turning back to the speaking female detective.

"There were people who knew the truth all along," she explained, her contempt shining through her words, "they just chose not to come forward."

"Still, karma comes back and puts a cap in her husband's ass," Montgomery stated, a close-lipped grin on his face, "so all is right with the world."

As he walked away, Beckett looked to the clock on her desk, before her eyes fell on the small photo frame beside it. She smiled absent-mindedly, her fingers reaching out to brush the edges of the fired-clay frame. The frame itself had been made by her daughter when she was in Kindergarten, and the photo was of Johanna and her grandfather, Jim. Beckett kept it there as a reminder of what she had to fight for, and, with her job, what others had to so tragically lose. She gave a little prayer in her mind each time she saw the picture – not that she was religious – that her family would never have to feel the sting of that loss again.

Standing, she collected her coat and began to shrug it on, her eyes on Castle as he read the case file.

"I'm gonna go talk to Melanie's parents," she said, "let them know how this all shook out."

No answer. She figured he was deep in thought, and the only way to jerk him out was to ask a direct question. Hell, sometimes that didn't even work.

"You wanna come?"

However, he ignored her question, and instead began to ask a roundabout one of his own.

"The woman with the freezer delivery told us she talked to a cop," he began, looking up at her from the file.

"Yeah," she said, irritated, "Sloan."

"Only he didn't mention her name in his report," Castle continued, the reason still baffling him.

"He didn't feel it was important," she muttered, before continuing condemningly, "after all, he didn't believe he was looking at a murder."

"Right," Castle agreed, watching Beckett's face change from irritation to confusion in an instant, "So, if you're not investigating a murder, why would you talk to the neighbor about a freezer delivery?"

**X X X X X**

Once again, they found themselves knocking on Mrs. Marsh's front door. And, just as earlier, she wasn't pleased to see them.

She had informed them that the police officer had in fact visited her earlier last year, rather than during the time of the original investigation. Her answers also led them to be sitting outside the Davidson's home in White Plains, waiting to take him in for questioning.

Beckett and Castle watched the family set out dinner on the table, the children smiling as they chattered away, carrying plates and a bread stick. Watching the scene of a happy family was forming a lump in Beckett's throat. Despite the loss of both their parents, they were smiling, laughing, feeling loved and loving in return. It hurt her to think she was about to destroy that.

"You could just leave it like this," Castle said quietly, his words mimicking her thoughts.

"Sam's dead," he continued, "the Captain's happy. Those kids look pretty happy."

Beckett turned away to compose herself. It was killing her inside; she knew that, despite him murdering his wife, Sam Cavanagh's killer needed to be caught and his actions reprimanded. It was what drove her; that everyone deserved the justice she never got. Sure, they were smiling now, but would they be still if they found out everything was a lie?

"That's the difference between a novel and the real world, Castle," Beckett said, shocking herself with her level tone, "A cop doesn't get to decide how the story ends."

As she stepped out into the cold, she reasoned with herself as to why this was right. She knew those girls would be broken, perhaps for a long time, but not forever. One day, they would know that it was better to have known the truth rather than be subdued by dishonesty. She thought briefly of how Johanna might react if her mother was no longer around. Convincing herself such a time would never come, she knocked on the Davidson's front door.

"Detective Beckett," he greeted, though his tone and features were solemn; he was caught.

"Sir, I'm gonna have to take you with me down to the station," she said bluntly, wanting the moment to be over before there was an audience. However, she was horrified as both Mrs. Davidson and Simone and Bela wandered into view, watching the man of the house with the detective.

"Who is it, honey?" his wife asked cheerily, her face falling into worry at the sight of Beckett, "What is it, Ben?"

The girls stood behind the couch, their curious and worried looks making Beckett feel as though she'd just been slapped on the face. Ben Davidson's eyes were a mix of fear, apology, sadness and acceptance. Instead of speaking, she stared, looking him in the eye, hoping to convey her anger at what he had done willingly to his family.

**X X X X X**

After the interview, Beckett had deduced he was angry and hurting after the murder of his only daughter. Although he was careful enough to not incriminate himself, she was sure, as was he, that he was guilty of murdering Sam Cavanagh. Gazing at a photo of the two girls, Beckett wanted to smile, but found she couldn't. So much had been taken from them; so much they didn't deserve to lose. They were around the same age as her own daughter, a fact which Beckett thought increased the guilt she felt toward them. Bela and Simone were in the care of their grandmother, who, Beckett hoped, would raise them into the girls she knew they had the potential to be.

"No, sweetie, I just wanted to make sure I said good night…"

Castle's voice floated through the air, awaking her from her little daydream. Placing the photo down on her desk, Beckett glanced a moment longer at the watch on her wrist. A man's watch, as Castle had noticed, worn as another allusion to her past. It was a commemoration to a life, much like a hand-me-down or heirloom, but it was what kept her going each day. The thought of someone out there needing her as much as she needed them; the knowledge of how grief can show your true colors and reveal things you never knew.

"You got it, strawberry happy face pancakes on me!"

Smiling, Beckett looked to Castle, who was sliding his phone back inside his jacket, an innocent look of being discovered on his face.

"Alexis missed me," he said, grinning.

Beckett nodded, his tone softer, more sincere than usual. Perhaps he was mirroring the solemn in her smile, or the glistening in her eyes.

"How did you know?" she asked, averting her eyes, fiddling with her pen.

"Spidey sense?"

Smirking, Beckett took another glance at her watch, and heard the shuffling of her company beside her. Earlier in the case, he had gone off on one of his regular tangents, linking up the parts of work that pushed her buttons with her secretive personal life. This time, he'd noticed the watch, and figured it out; it was honoring her past. When they'd first began working together, he'd figured out the scaffold of her past within the first 24 hours. Through passing, she'd noticed that, beneath the inevitable curiosity of an author, there was actual concern and an interest on a strictly personal level.

"By the way," she began, figuring the awkward silence had gone on for long enough, "it was my mother and, uh, my sister, not my father."

His face changed slightly, from simply interest to apologetic and sympathetic. He leaned back in his chair, not speaking, waiting for her to continue. He felt a sense of accomplishment, as well as warmth in his chest, that Beckett trusted him with such knowledge.

"We were supposed to go to dinner together," she began, "my Mom, my Dad, my sister and I, and they were gonna meet Dad and I at the restaurant. My sister was always going to work with my Mom."

A faint smile brushed over her face quickly, before disappearing amongst more retellings.

"But they never showed."

Castle watched her wrestle with her words. In one respect, she wanted to and needed to share them, if anything to get them off her chest. On the other hand, he figured she'd probably kept them in for so long; it was killing her to talk about it.

"Two hours later, we went home," Beckett said, "and there was a detective waiting for us. Detective Raglan."

Shaking her head gently, she gave a soft sigh, taking a deep breath before she continued.

"They found my mom's body. She had been stabbed."

Watching her face contort made Castle want to cry, or at least offer her hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. Though, he wasn't sure he'd take it.

"A robbery?" he enquired, tilting his head, her eyes fixed firmly on the edge of her desk.

Again, she shook her head, "No."

Looking up, she could feel the tears in her eyes, as the memories came rushing back. Castle watched her regain composure, her green eyes sparkling.

"She still had her money and purse and jewelry," she explained, "and it wasn't a sexual assault either."

Her eyes met with his in a rare moment of understanding that she hadn't had with anyone in a long time. The disdain in her face was enough to confirm Castle's earlier thoughts; this case was an emotional minefield.

"They attributed it to gang violence," she said, sighing, "random wayward event. So, just like in Melanie's case, they couldn't think outside the box. So they just packaged it up nicely, and the killer was never caught."

Castle swallowed. He wanted to ask more questions, so many more. But he felt that her openness might have been limited, so he took a moment to choose carefully.

"And your sister?"

The next sigh was the shakiest yet, as she fumbled over the buttons on her jacket.

"She was never found," she said quietly, "she's gone with our Mom that day; she was always going to work with her…"

A warm but broken smile adorned Beckett's face, as she looked back to Castle.

"The only thing that confirmed she'd been there was a smear of her blood on the alley wall," she sniffed, "and then she was never seen again."

If Castle were to hazard a guess, he'd say it was a younger sister; the way she talked about her was different to the way she talked about her mother. While she spoke of her Mom as a woman she looked up to and respected, she spoke of the missing girl as someone she should have been there for, protected. But, he didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"Why do you wear the watch?"

"My dad took it hard," she explained, "he's sober now. Five years."

Her smile got to him in a way he couldn't describe; she was on the brink of tears, yet she still pondered her father with happiness. He couldn't imagine their lives had been close to the same afterward.

"So," Beckett began, holding up the watch and tapping its face, "this is for the life that I saved."

Castle was overcome, speechless and thoughtless.

"This," she pulled at a chain around her neck, revealing a simple engagement ring hanging of its length, "is for the life that I lost. And…"

Reaching across to her desk drawer, she tugged it open gently, carefully pulling out a small, 6x4 photo. Handing it across to Castle, she finished, "that's for the life I hope I find again."

Taking the glossy sheet, he smiled. On it was a younger Kate Beckett, dressed in black dance attire and standing en pointe. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and her body was turned away from the camera, her shoulders turning to face the lens with a smile. Beside her was another girl, almost identical, but smaller, in a matching leotard and pointe shoes, standing with the same pose. He had no comment for it, but simply turned it over to read the words on the back in delicate handwriting.

_Katherine Rae and Abigail Johanna_

_September '98_

"So," Beckett interrupted, before tears overwhelmed her, "I guess your Nikki Heat has a back story now, Castle."

Placing the photo gently on the desk, nudging it in her direction, he shrugged.

"I don't know," he said, "I did kind of like the hooker-by-day, cop-by-night thing."

Smirking a smile, Beckett shook her head, looking back to the surprisingly conscientious mystery writer.

"But, I guess a heavy emotional angle could work too," he added with a smile.

Turning back to close her files and straighten up her desk, Beckett still had the remnants of a grin on her face,

"Well, don't bewilder your audiences with substance on my account, Castle," she said, the weight of their discussion laying heavily on her usually exuberant sarcasm. Standing, she collected her keys, pausing at the edge of her desk before she left.

"Until tomorrow, Detective," Castle farewelled, staying seated in his chair.

Feeling a smile pushing through again, Beckett pushed it back; he'd already seen her vulnerable, and she needed to escape before she broke down completely.

"You can't just say night?" she asked, her attempt at annoyance flailing, but good enough for the moment.

"I'm a writer," he said, "'night' is boring. 'Until tomorrow' is more…hopeful."

"Yeah, well, I'm a cop," she said, nodding and smiling, "Night."

**X X X X X**

After Beckett had left the precinct, Castle's curiosity and willingness to help got the better of him. An adamant Esposito was able to dig out the file on the female detective's mother's murder, claiming to 'make him bleed' if he so much as mentioned it to Beckett.

Since they weren't in kidnapping, and the FBI had jurisdiction over child abductions, there was no file for the young Abigail Beckett. However, as he pulled up the lamp at the storage room desk, he had noticed 'Johanna' was a shared name, being both her sister's middle and daughter's first name. Upon opening the file, he knew why.

The tab on the side read _Beckett, Johanna_. Castle wasn't sure whether he was shocked or expectant that Detective Beckett would name her so far only child after her late mother. Judging by the young Johanna's age, he'd place a safe bet she was born after the incident.

Settling himself in for the next few hours, he opened the file and began to read.

**X X X X X**

When she arrived home, Kate paid the sitter, and quietly bade her farewell. When she reached her bedroom, she kicked off her shoes, pulled off her coat and began her nightly ritual. She quickly unholstered her weapon and placed it in the top drawer of her chest, before going about putting on pajamas. Pulling on the nearest sweatshirt and trackpants she could find, she slipped quietly down the hall and into her daughter's room. She'd been asleep for a long while now, according to the sitter.

The door was slightly ajar, and, upon pushing it open, Kate smiled. Her daughter was fast asleep, curled into her blankets facing away from her. Walking over, Kate pulled the covers aside gently and slipped in behind her, wrapping arm around the girl's small waist, resting her head in her long, brown hair.

"Momma?"

"Shh, go back to sleep, baby," she said, stroking the side of her face gently, as the little girl in her arms turned and sat up. Kate joined her, lifting her tired head from the pillow, smiling at her sleepy girl.

"Did you get the bad guy?" Johanna asked, yawning, to which Kate simply nodded.

"That's good," the young girl murmured, leaning forward to take refuge in her mother's arms. Scooping her up, Kate carried Johanna out of the child's room and into her own, settling her down under the blankets of her queen. Switching off all the lights, Kate was quick to slide under the sheets beside her, grasping her close once again.

"Mom?" Johanna called, her voice now almost inaudible.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I love you."

**X X X X X**

**And there we have the close of **_**A Chill Runs Through Her Veins**_**! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I hope to update the next chapter very soon. Sometimes (well, most of the time) I will try and follow the episodes. I will skip some if I feel they're not worth writing, but if there are any episodes you want to see written in particular, do let me know. I'm itching to get up to the more recent episodes, but I know it's going to take a long while, so please be patient.**

**You can review while you're waiting (:**

**Kayla x**


	9. Johanna's Day Off Ch9

**So, here is another chapter for **_**The Little Things**_**. Now, I know I followed the storyline of S01E05 pretty heavily in the last section, but some wise words from a reader and my own issues with having to continually pause the DVD to get dialogue has caused me to abandon that idea. **

**Since most of you (actually, probably all of you) know the episodes like the back of your hand, the only scenes I'll be including are AU scenes or ones that I feel need to be in here, whether they are the same or altered. **

**But, this one is a little ray of sunshine to lift up from an emotionally drained Beckett last chapter. Enjoy (:**

**X X X X X**

Yawning, Johanna shuffled her socked feet slowly to the kitchen. She'd woken up in her mother's bed, and vaguely remembered her coming home last night, but she had obviously woken earlier. Expecting to find her in the kitchen, she paused at the dining table, looking around sleepily.

There was a steaming mug on the bench top, right by Johanna's usual seat. Confused, she wandered over, narrowly missing the corner of the granite and clambered up onto her stool. The mug was full, the contents appearing to be tea. Stretching, she noticed the small piece of paper tucked under the blue ceramic, lowering her arms to gently pull it out.

_Jo,_

_We ran out of eggs, ran to the store to grab more._

_Drink your tea, I'll be back soon._

_Mom x_

Eggs? Johanna felt her face split into a smile, as she carefully wrapped her small hands around the mug in front of her. The only time her mother ever got eggs was when she intended to have them for breakfast or use them to cook. Either scenario worked just fine for Johanna.

Glancing at the microwave oven, the clock read 6:45am. _Wow, early_, she thought to herself, wondering whether any stores would actually be open yet.

Even though it was a Thursday, Johanna wasn't going to school. There was some sort of teacher's conference; most of the elementary schools in the city were closed. She wasn't too sure, but Johanna figured any day off school with no work to miss out on was a good day.

Her head turned at the sound of rustling plastic and a key in the lock of the front door. A few moments later, her mother pushed through, a bag in one hand, the paper in the other. Johanna jumped from her seat quickly to relieve Kate, but was stopped by her arms reaching around her.

"JoJo!"

Giggling, Johanna felt herself get thrown over her mother's shoulder, the door closing gently and the bag containing the eggs on the hallway table.

"Mommy, let me go!" Johanna cried, laughing and wrapping her upside down arms around the back of Kate's waist.

"Never!" Kate exclaimed, flipping her daughter back over onto the couch, her hands dancing across Johanna's sides. Squealing, the young girl's arms and legs were flailing, as Kate tickled her viciously, laughing along with the panting child. Desperately, Johanna was trying to regain control of her arms; if she could tickle her mother back, she would be free!

"Mom, stop!" Johanna cried, strangled by laughter, as she felt the hands leave her sides and curl around her shoulders. Leaning tiredly into her mother's sweatshirt, she crawled up to sit on Kate's lap, sighing.

"You want some breakfast?" Kate asked, pulling back to look her daughter in the eye, who was grinning.

"Only if it's eggs!" Johanna stated climbing off Kate's legs and moving to collect the bag from by the front door.

Kate smiled, standing herself to move into the kitchen. She began to pull the fry pan out of the cupboard, placing it gently on the bench and switching it on to warm.

"Jo, be careful in the kitchen, the fry pan's on," Kate called, watching her daughter walk over slowly, eggs in one hand, the paper in the other. Her eyes were glued to the paper, but that wasn't uncommon. She was a curious girl, and liked to know what was going on around the city, but it was admittedly unusual for a nine-year-old to read the paper.

"Anything interesting in the paper?" Kate asked, grabbing the carton from Johanna's outstretched hand as she climbed back up to her stool. Sticking a finger in the mug she'd left earlier, she deduced it was now cool enough to drink. She lifted it up, shaking her head in reply to her mother before she took a sip.

"Nope," she sighed, pushing the _Ledger_ away, the appeal not so great this morning. Watching, Johanna's mouth hung open slightly as her mother expertly cracked a few eggs and let them sizzle in the pan. Sometimes, she would help, but Kate obviously wanted it to be done quickly; Johanna wasn't the greatest at cracking eggs.

"Mom, where am I going today?" she asked, placing her tea carefully back on the bench. It was a weekday, which meant Kate had to go to work, even though there might not be a case.

Kate sighed, leaving the eggs to cook as she wandered over, resting her elbows on the bench. Johanna mirrored her position, raising an eyebrow as she waited for an answer. Kate stared into her daughter's eyes. They were a bright, vibrant blue, the color of the sky on a clear day. Her mother had had blue eyes, but they weren't like this; Kate could only vaguely remember one person ever having those beautiful sapphire blue eyes. That person was Johanna's father.

Many times, Kate had told her daughter the story, leaving out the parts that were incomprehensible to a young girl. After her mother was killed and her sister kidnapped, Kate wasn't proud to say she went off the rails. She partied college-girl style, and it earned her a year of hangovers, missing time and unexplainable consequences. One of those consequences had turned out to be Johanna.

"_Mommy, tell me the duke story!" a four-year-old Johanna cried. She was fresh out of a bath, her hair still wet at the ends, as her mother slipped pajamas onto her tiny frame. Her mom was smiling at her, kissing her on the head before she stood and gave her a gently nudge toward her bed._

"_Will you, Momma?" Johanna pleaded, crawling under the covers, "Will you tell me the duke story?"_

_Kate sat beside her, wrapping an arm over the shoulders of her young child, who was looking up at her, eager and expectant blue eyes staring. _

"_And which one might be the 'duke story', JoJo?" she asked the girl, who rolled her eyes at Kate's playful grin._

"_You know which one, Momma!" Johanna insisted, "Where the Princess meets the handsome duke, but didn't know his name, and –"_

"_I thought you wanted me to tell you the story?" Kate asked, the little girl's mouth freezing mid-word, before it snapped shut. _

"_That's better," Kate said, smiling, taking the battered teddy bear from the edge of the bed and placing it in Johanna's arms. Snuggling in, she prepared herself for the story._

"_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Princess –"_

"_What was her name, Mommy?" Johanna asked innocently. Kate blinked at her; she'd never given them names before, nor had Johanna asked,_

"_Her name?"_

"_Yeah!" Johanna replied, "Everyone's gotta have a name."_

_Laughing, Kate nodded._

"_Okay, her name was Princess…Katherine."_

_This time, it was Johanna's turn to blink. It wasn't like all the other princess names; Aurora, Belle, Snow White – it was a real name._

"_That's a pretty name," Johanna said, fiddling with the ears on her teddy, yawning gently as she cuddled closer to Kate, closing her eyes. _

"_Do you want me to keep going?" asked Kate, her hand finding its way to Johanna's cheek, stroking it softly. _

_The young girl nodded, "Yes please."_

"_When Princess Katherine was nineteen, her mother, the queen, died suddenly," Kate continued, "and she was very sad. She didn't want to stay in her castle, because there were too many things that reminded her of her Mom."_

"_Didn't she want to think of her Mommy?" Johanna asked, her eyes still closed but her tone just as inquisitive as if she were awake. _

"_She wanted to think about all the good things," justified Kate, "being in the castle kept making her remember she was gone. So Princess Katherine ran away to the village. While she was there, she went to a Villager's Ball –"_

"_Like Cinderella's ball?" Johanna queried, her voice excited. Looking down, Kate noticed her eyes were open again, and she was as focused as ever._

"_Just like that," Kate nodded, pulling her closer._

"_Then what happened?"_

"_Well, Princess Katherine met a handsome young Duke from far away," she said, "and they danced and talked all night long. It was the first time since the Queen died that Princess Katherine felt happy, and safe and loved. But she was also scared."_

"_What was Princess Katherine scared of, Mommy?" asked Johanna, who was once again staring right at her mother, watching and waiting._

_Sighing, Kate took a breath; the weight of the story was sinking in, now that she'd had to use names. _

"_She was scared she would be sad again if she ever lost the Duke," she explained, Johanna's eyes becoming confused._

"_But they were in love; like Cinderella and Prince Charming and Beauty and the Beast!"_

"_I know, sweetie," Kate said, "but remember, those stories aren't real."_

"_Is this one?"_

_The question caused Kate's breath to catch in her throat. She'd never told her daughter the truth to this story. That, in less romantic situations, this story was in fact about her father, a man she'd never known. To be fair, she hadn't wanted to know; the girl was surprisingly content with not having two parents. _

"_Wait until the end, and then you can guess," Kate suggested, receiving a nod. Johanna watched her mother's face change. At pre-school, she was learning all about feelings and how to show them and see them. Right now, her Mom looked sad, but when she smiled, it was big and bright, like she was happy. Johanna didn't know you could show two feelings at the same time._

"_In the morning, while the duke was still asleep, Princess Katherine left a note for him to remember her by," Kate continued, "before she left quietly. A long while after, Princess Katherine had a little princess of her own –"_

"_What's the baby princess's name?" Johanna asked eagerly, Kate laughing at the insistence of her four-year-old._

"_Her name was Princess Johanna."_

_The young girl gasped, a huge grin spreading over her face._

"_The princess has the same name as me!" she exclaimed, her gaping mouth and big eyes gazing at Kate._

"_That's right," replied her Mom, "it's another pretty name."_

_Johanna giggled, settling herself back into her mother's side, this time allowing her eyes to droop closed as the story came to an end. _

"_Every night before the little princess would go to sleep, Princess Katherine would tell her the story of the handsome Duke who stole her heart," she resumed, "how she had never learnt his name, but hoped he still kept the note she left him. And hoped he remembered how much they loved each other."_

"_What did the note say, Mommy?" Johanna asked sleepily, her breathing becoming deeper and body becoming heavier on Kate's side._

"_It said 'Until we meet again…' and was signed with a kiss."_

"_Did they live happily ever after?" Johanna asked with a yawn. Kate had begun to stand, allowing the young girl to fall groggily onto her pillow, clutching the bear close to her chest. Pulling up the covers, she tucked them under her daughter's chin, watching as expectant blue eyes rolled over to look at her._

"_I don't know," Kate said, "do you think we're living happily ever after?"_

"_Our story isn't finished yet!" Johanna exclaimed, "I'm only four!"_

"_Well, maybe the Duke's story isn't finished yet either," Kate suggested, leaving a kiss on Johanna's forehead, before shutting off the light on her bedside table, "Good night, sweetie."_

"_Night, Momma," she mumbled, burrowing into her sheets, Kate smiling as she headed for the door._

_She was about to close the door, when a little voice called out, stopping her._

"_Mommy, I think it's real," Johanna stated, her voice a mix of excitement and pride._

_Pushing back in, Kate looked at her, surprised to see the young girl sitting up in her bed._

"_I think…" mused the young girl, "I think the Duke is my daddy."_

Coming back to the present, Kate shook it from her head. Johanna was nine now, almost finishing the third grade. It shocked her, really, how fast time had flown.

"You're coming to work with me," Kate said, watching Johanna's face light up.

"Two days in a row?" she exclaimed, "Are you feeling okay, Mom?"

Kate shot a glaring grin at her sarcastic daughter, "I think I may have taught you a little _too_ well!"

**X X X X X**

**Sorry it's so short! The reason it is so short is because I've had computer issues lately, which means I've had no internet access and no opportunity to continue the chapter. I'm posting this now in the hopes that it will tide you lovely people over until my computer is fixed (in the next few days, fingers crossed!)**

**Again, sorry for the wait, and I'll have the next one done and ready to go once the technical issues disappear!**


	10. Johanna's Day Off Ch10

**Righto, let's go, new chapter, for the win!**

**X X X X X**

Johanna followed her mother into the 12th Precinct at 9am. It was the first time in a long time that Beckett had arrived right on time, rather than being early.

"You feeling okay this morning, Beckett?" Esposito asked, checking his watch with a grin. Beckett sat down with a glare, as Johanna rolled her eyes beside her.

"That is _exactly_ what I said this morning!" she exclaimed, giggling. She watched her mother shake her head as she switched on her computer, Johanna reaching into the bag she'd brought with her. Holding up a clear, Tupperware container, she looked to Esposito.

"Cupcake?"

"When'd you make cupcakes?" Ryan asked, appearing from the break room with a coffee and playfully pulling the box from the young girl's grasp.

"Hey!" Johanna cried, swiping at the detective and missing, as he ducked and weaved, before passing the box to Esposito swiftly. Johanna stomped over to Esposito's desk, stopping with her hands on her hips and tapping her foot.

"If you wanted a cupcake, all you had to do was ask," she scolded, holding out a hand.

"Beckett, your mini-me is picking on me!" Esposito cried, shrinking back childishly in his chair, clutching the cupcakes to his chest.

"You're such a baby!" Johanna exclaimed, a retort that got her name called sternly from her mother.

"Johanna, that's enough," Beckett said, "Esposito, give her the cakes back."

"Yes, _Mom_!"

As he handed the box back to the young girl, he grinned at the glare he was receiving.

"You know what, Jo," Beckett began, "I don't think the baby deserves any cupcakes."

Johanna giggled as she headed back toward her mother. Reaching up, she cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered quietly into Beckett's ear. Her eyes fell on the Captain's office, and Johanna's followed. She looked to her mother, who nodded, before she began to skip over to the office of Montgomery.

Watching, as Johanna smiled and offered the open box of cupcakes to the Captain, Beckett grinned. They'd spent their spare time that morning baking them, something they hadn't done in a long time.

"That's not cool," Esposito whinged, sitting up and shaking his head.

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, as Beckett looked up at them, "using your kid to score brownie points with Montgomery?"

"Like she needs the brownie points," Esposito muttered, picking up his ringing phone in a huff, "Esposito…"

"Did someone say brownies?"

Rolling her eyes, Beckett looked to the figure of Richard Castle, who had taken his regular seat alongside her desk.

"Nope," she added, sighing as she turned to her paperwork, "just cupcakes."

Castle sat up excitedly, looking around Beckett's desk and those of the boys.

"What cupcakes?" he asked eagerly, his face on the brink of a huge grin.

Beckett paused, looking sideways at her childish tag-along. He looked like a kid in a candy store, wondering whether his mother was going to give him any change.

"The ones my daughter is laughing over with Montgomery," she said, a smile playing on her lips as he turned abruptly. His eyes fell on the little brunette in the Captain's office, who was smiling at her elder. She had the exact same smile as Beckett, Castle noticed, and her eyes crinkled and glinted in the same way. The only difference, aside from their size, was their eye color. While Beckett's were a striking hazel, that could appear brown or green randomly, Johanna's seemed to mirror the sky. Today, both were the brightest of blues.

"That's one way to make nice with the boss," Castle played, smirking, as he turned back to Beckett. But, she wasn't listening; she was still gazing at her daughter through the glass, an indescribable smile on her lips. She watched the little girl throw her head back in laughter, noting the little gap where she'd lost a tooth two weeks ago, the little dimple that appeared in her cheek when she laughed. Johanna walked out of Montgomery's office smiling, then looked to her mother, pausing when she reached the front of her desk. Beckett still wore the same expression, which caused her daughter's head to tilt sideways quizzically.

"What?" Johanna asked, looking intently into her mother's misty eyes.

Lowering her gaze, Beckett shook her head, fiddling with the corner of the paper on her desk, before she looked back up.

"Nothing," she murmured, returning the smile her little girl was giving her. Slowly, Johanna placed the container she was holding on the desk, and moved around to her mother's side. She let herself fall gently into Beckett's arms, feeling her mother's face leaning on the top of her head.

"Am I growing up too quick again?" Johanna whispered, Beckett laughing in reply. She held her closer and let a hand fall softly through her hair, her fingers lingering on the ends that were nearing Johanna's waist.

"Yeah, you are."

**X X X X X**

It was nearing lunchtime at the 12th, and Johanna sighed, swiveling about in her mother's chair. Beckett had had to leave for a crime scene, but had called and was on her way back. Since she'd left, Johanna had been sitting at the desk, reading. She'd packed her very battered copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_, but had chosen not to read it. She was reading that with Alexis, not herself; she had to wait until she saw Castle's daughter again before she could continue reading.

Otherwise, the only other book Johanna had was the copy of _Storm Fall_ Castle had given her mother a few weeks ago. Beckett had already read it, and now it was Johanna's turn. So far, she'd read the first five chapters, but her hunger got the better of her. She had a cupcake to tide her over, but when the elevator dinged, and the smell of Chinese wafted her way, she realized just how starved she was.

"Mom, thank _god_!" she exclaimed, a plastic bag of take-out containers landing in front of her, "I'm starving!"

"Oh, it's just so tough being you!" Beckett added playfully, kissing her girl on the head before heading to the murder board to begin writing up the new evidence. As Johanna rummaged through the various Styrofoam containers, she nodded in agreement.

"It totally is," she said, grinning as she pulled out the container of fried rice, a plastic fork and dug in. Castle, Ryan and Esposito had all taken a takeout box of their own, and were chomping away when Beckett turned back around.

"What are you, nine or nineteen?" Beckett asked, walking over, directing the forkful of fried rice in Johanna's hand to her own mouth.

"Hey!"

Johanna dropped her jaw and glared at her mother, before shaking her head and returning to her food.

"And I'm nine, for the record," she said as-a-matter-of-factly, "if I'm nineteen that would make you…"

She paused for a moment, looking up in thought, before she jabbed the fork in Beckett's direction, "Thirty-nine!"

"Whoa, hey!"

Giggling, Johanna watched her mother blush, as she continued to eat her rice.

"You just got owned!" Castle exclaimed, laughing, and offering a high five to Johanna, who obliged.

"Shut up, Castle," Beckett muttered, as her eyes scanned over the murder board once more, before she sat down to eat.

"Thank you for the Chinese, Mom," Johanna said, flashing a smile from the chair she was still swiveling on, "It's yummy."

Beckett nodded and smiled in return, eyeing the book that lay, closed, on the desk in front of her. She gave a look to Johanna, who was on the brink of giggles, while a sideways glance at Castle saw a smug look. Obviously, he'd noticed the copy of _Storm Fall_ too.

It was quiet for a moment, with not much noise other than chewing or minor small talk. A voice at the end of the hall caused all heads to look up, the Detectives and Johanna confused yet amused, while Castle's expression was fearful.

"Deep-fried Twinkie?" Esposito murmured, laughing. Castle nodded solemnly, before replacing his container on the desk and sighing.

"Richard!"

The sight of his first ex-wife and daughter walking toward him was horrifying, amusing and frustrating. The fact that Alexis was with her meant she had kidnapped her from school _again_, and she looked uncomfortable and eager to get away. Meredith however, was grinning and none the wiser.

"Meredith," he greeted curtly, as she paused in front of him, at least ten shopping bags hanging from her arms.

"I was on this side of the city," she explained, "so I thought I'd drop Alexis here rather than traipsing all the way back across town."

_Of course, how inconvenient_, Castle thought to himself, pushing the thought away as Alexis' eyes pleaded at him.

"How thoughtful of you," he said, before he saw questioning looks from his company.

"Ah, Meredith, this is Detective Ryan," Castle began, gesturing to the Irishman to his left, before turning to the Hispanic man beside him, "and this is Detective Esposito."

Meredith gave them both a smile before her eyes fell first on Detective Beckett, then Johanna.

"And this is Detective Beckett," he added, as Beckett took a step forward to shake the woman's hand, a look of disgust welcoming it.

Although seemingly repulsed, Meredith accepted Beckett's hand, then looked again to Johanna.

"Is that your daughter?" she asked curtly, noting the resemblance, "She looks far too young to be in police station."

The disapproval in Meredith's tone set Beckett's blood boiling. How could this woman criticize her about parenting when she barely knew how to do it herself? In the moment it took for Beckett to compose herself, Johanna had begun to speak, much to her surprise.

"Yes, Detective Beckett is my Mom," she said, looking straight into the eyes of the 'deep-fried Twinkie'.

"My name is Johanna," she continued, "I'm nine years old, my school is closed and my Grandpa is at work. That's why I'm here."

Johanna's tone wasn't malicious, but it was stern, and she did not stray her gaze from Meredith.

"What about your father?" Meredith asked, turning her nose up.

"I don't need one," Johanna said, eyes narrowing, "my Mom's great enough on her own."

Smirking, Meredith shook her head, then turned to a fuming Castle, "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you all."

She pecked Castle on the cheek before doing the same to Alexis, then left. All was silent as the group watched the fiery woman walk away. Johanna could see her mother trembling in anger, and Alexis was watching her, a mix of fear and remorse covering her face.

"Beckett, I'm sorry –"

"Castle, please, not now," Beckett muttered, before retreating to the break room, Castle sighing as she went.

Alexis walked up to her Dad and fell into his open arms, a sigh of relief escaping her.

"Dad, why would Mom say stuff like that?" Alexis asked, peering up at Castle, "I mean, I know she's petty, but that's low, even for her."

"Alexis, I learnt a long time ago to not put a lot of faith in the things that woman says," he said, both hands on her shoulders, "Give me a sec?"

Nodding, she watched her father walk toward the break room, where she could see Detective Beckett sitting at the table, her head in her hands.

"Hey, Lexi?"

The little voice caused Alexis' head to turn, and she smiled at the young girl before her.

"Hey, Jo," she said, "day off?"

Nodding, Johanna simply sighed as she gazed right at the older girl, her eyes soft and glazed.

"Why doesn't your Mom like my Mom?" she asked, looking over to the break room, where Castle was sitting beside Beckett, both still silent.

Alexis sighed and took the seat her father normally used. She leaned over and looked Johanna right in the eyes, noticing the slightly greener shade around her pupil, something others mightn't see. To most, her eyes were blue, but you could see the hints of green she'd inherited from her mother.

"My Mom doesn't like a lot of people," Alexis explained, "I'm not even sure how much she likes me."

Johanna gasped, her mouth wide.

"How could your Mom not love you?" Johanna said quietly, her bottom lip quivering, "She's your Mom."

All Alexis could do was shrug. Honestly, she didn't know what went through her mother's head sometimes; when she visited, she cared more about where they were going and what they were doing rather than being with her daughter.

Biting her lip, Johanna reached out and took Alexis' hand. The teenager looked up, confused but smiling at the same time. This little girl was really something, as she sighed before looking up.

From over in the break room, Castle had managed to console Beckett.

"Forget Meredith," he'd said, "you really want to think about _her_ comments on being a Mom?"

Beckett had laughed, shaking her head and wiping away a rebellious tear. Her eyes had landed on the sight of the two girls at her desk, hands joining between the remnants of Chinese cartons.

"Look at the girls," she whispered, inclining her head. Castle looked and stopped. He could feel himself welling up at the sight, both Alexis and Johanna sitting and talking. From their equally solemn expressions, Castle figured it was about the previous happenings.

Unintentionally, he brought a hand over Beckett's and left it there, as they watched. The gesture went unnoticed by both of them, as Beckett's hand clung to Castle's, her head leaning sideways to rest on his shoulder. They were so captivated by the image of their daughters, neither were able to comprehend their contact when they snapped back to reality.

Among Castle's awkward noises, he managed to stand and began to make the coffee. He did not look at Beckett again, but continued to think about her. His face split into a wide, bashful smile, as he thought about the way their hands had intertwined, the way her thumb had gently caressed his.

Behind him, unknowingly, Beckett was grinning to herself about the same thing.

**X X X X X**

**Well then, dearies, there is another chapter! This will probably be the last of **_**The Little Things**_** until after Christmas, but it's picking up a little, so maybe it won't. I don't know! I will have complete computer access over Christmas, so if I get some spare moments between the family, I'll dedicate them to you!**

**Merry Christmas!**

**Kayla x**


	11. Johanna's Day Off Ch11

**Well, it's been a while since I updated, so I thought I should do it. Better late than never! **

**X X X X X**

"Mom?"

Johanna's voice caused her head to snap up, as Beckett's warm smile from a moment before remained for her daughter.

"Hey, sweetie, what's up?" she asked, holding out an arm for the young girl to tuck herself under.

Sighing, Johanna put her arms around her mother and leaned into her shoulder, closing her eyes.

"Nothing much," she murmured, opening her eyes to look up at Beckett, "Esposito took all the cupcakes."

Beckett breathed out a laugh, "Well he won't get any caramel slice, will he?"

Giggling, Johanna's head turned to a gasping Castle.

"There's caramel slice?" he asked, eyes wide, a grin hinting on his face.

The young girl's eyes narrowed cheekily, as she left her mother's side and headed slowly toward Castle.

"There sure is, but who says I'm gonna give it to you?" she said, stopping at the table's edge, leaning against it with her arms crossed.

_Gosh, she looks like Beckett_, Castle thought to himself, as he let his mouth gape, attempting to find words.

"You do know that I can sniff out caramel slice from a mile away," he said, "So I _will_ find it!"

"Nope, you'll never find it!" Johanna exclaimed, grinning, "We've hidden someplace safe."

The ringing of Beckett's phone distracted the three of them, as she excused herself to answer it.

"Can I trust you, Castle?" Johanna asked. As he turned back to face her, he realized the little girl was practically inches away from him, peering up at him expectantly.

"What – what do you mean?" he asked, taken aback by her abrupt question. She had a serious look on her face, yet she still had a glint in her eye; she was just as confusing as her mother!

"You know what I mean," Johanna insisted, crossing her arms. Rick continued to look at her just as confused as before.

"You mean…if you tell me where I can find your baked goodies I won't go and steal them?" he said, drawing out his words, still unsure of where this conversation was headed.

"No, not that!" she exclaimed, huffing, "But it's in our fridge, by the way."

Rick chuckled, watching the little girl jump up to sit on the edge of the table.

"Should you really be sitting there?" he asked, receiving a raised eyebrow.

"What are you, my mother?" Johanna snapped, sighing and shaking her head. Rick placed both the cups of coffee on the table then pulled up a chair, sitting directly opposite the young girl. Her bright, blue eyes were staring intently into his, her gaze unyielding and intense. To be honest, it was kind of making him uncomfortable.

"What do you mean, Johanna?" Rick asked sincerely, watching her look to her feet, brow furrowed, before she looked up to him.

"Does Alexis like her Mom?" she asked quickly, the question startling him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be asking things like that," she murmured, her teeth finding her bottom lip and her eyes finding the floor.

"No, no, it's okay," he said, clearing his throat, "she loves her Mom, but sometimes…"

Sighing, Castle thought about his next words carefully, Johanna staring at him, expectant.

"Sometimes, what?"

"Sometimes Meredith doesn't always think before she speaks," he explained, "and that can hurt people."

"Like my Mom."

He stopped. Wow, this kid knew how to hit it out of the park; her sorrowful eyes rested on him, before she began to search the room awkwardly.

"Hey," Castle called, watching Johanna look away defiantly, "Johanna?"

Slowly, she looked up, the tears welling in her eyes, Castle's hand reaching out for her. She began to move gradually over to him. Once within his reach, he pulled her close, allowing her to fall into his embrace. She let gentle sobs take over her, as she curled up tightly on his lap, both his arms wrapped loosely around her.

"No matter what anyone says," Castle continued, "your mother is the strongest person I've ever met. After you."

Johanna giggled, sniffing back her tears.

"It's hard, you know?" she snuffled, "Because all my friends have daddies too, and people always – always ask me why I don't – don't have one."

Lifting up a thumb, he gently wiped away a rogue tear that was still falling down her cheek. Giving a weak smile, Johanna sighed, looking at her fingers, which were gently playing with the tassel on her shirt. She slowly looked back up to Castle, her eyes big.

"Does Alexis like it?" she asked, "Only having a Dad and not seeing her Mom?"

"It doesn't worry her, if that's what you mean," Castle said, "she's grown up with just the two of us; it's just how we are."

"Kinda like me and my Mom," Johanna added, nodding. She was calmer now, all the tears dried up. It felt better now; now that she knew she wasn't the only one who had a single parent.

"Just like you and your Mom."

"Dad?"

Both sets of blue eyes looked up to the redhead in the doorway.

"Hey, sweetie," Castle greeted with a smile, as Johanna quickly jumped off his lap. He gave the young girl a look of confusion, watching her bite her lip awkwardly.

"Uh, I'm gonna go see my Mom," she murmured, pushing past Alexis and back into the bullpen.

Beckett was sitting at her desk, still on her phone, scrawling something down on her pad. Johanna took her place on Castle's seat, watching her mother intently until she hung up. Looking away quickly, she cast her eyes on the floor, taking note of every little burn mark, every scuff that marked its surface.

"Hey," Beckett whispered quietly, raising a hand to cup Johanna's cheek, "you okay?"

Johanna nodded, still failing to meet her mother's gaze, the clicking of wheels meaning her mother was coming to her.

"Hey, Missy Moo," she said, causing Johanna to giggle.

"Mom, you haven't called me _that_ since I was five!" she exclaimed quietly, looking up to meet Beckett's eyes.

"Well, sometimes you have to renew tradition," she added, grinning as she took Johanna's hand.

"Mom, I, uh…"

She paused for a moment, sighing, before she continued.

"Mom, I don't really like Meredith," she said, "and I know I don't really know her very well, but she seems…"

Johanna pursed her lips, raising her eyes to the roof as she thought of a word she could use to describe the 'deep-fried Twinkie' as Castle had called her. A few of the nasty words her mother used when she was talking to Lanie ran through her head, but they seemed too ferocious at the moment.

"Seems what?" Beckett asked, watching her daughter juggle with her thoughts.

"She seems a little…judgmental?"

Looking to her mother, who nodded, Johanna felt she'd found the right word to describe the woman. It wasn't that she was intently nasty, she just kind of spoke before she thought.

"Like, if she thought a cover looked boring, she'd never read the book," Johanna continued, "because she'll think it's going to be boring too. But it could be the best book in the world."

Beckett felt butterflies in her stomach as she listened to her daughter's explanation, wondering where she found this strange insight into others she seemed to have.

"And I don't think she means to be nasty," Johanna said, "but she always says what's on her mind. She doesn't think about it, so sometimes she says stuff she doesn't think is nasty, but it kinda is."

Watching, Johanna saw Beckett's eyes fog up, and she tilted her head, confused.

"What?"

She took a moment longer to gaze, many thoughts and emotions running through her at once. The greatest was pride.

"You have a very good opinion of people, Jo," Beckett said, sighing, "and you definitely live up to your name."

"I'm named after Grandma and your sister, right?" Johanna asked, her mother nodding in approval.

"That's right," she agreed, "my mother didn't care about someone's past or whether they were good or bad; she just wanted the truth."

Sitting in silence, Johanna watched as her Mom let a small smile creep onto her face. It was warm and real, a smile she reserved for only special people and occasions.

"What about your sister?" Johanna asked, eliciting an even greater smile from Beckett.

"She was just like her; warm, caring, empathetic –"

"What's empathetic?" Johanna interrupted, her brow furrowing.

"It means you're good at putting yourself in other people's shoes," Beckett explained, "and your Aunt Abi was pretty good at it."

Reaching up, Johanna gently wiped away a rogue tear on her mother's face. Neither had noticed, but Castle and Alexis were standing just a little way away, far enough to be unnoticed, but close enough to have heard most of the conversation. Alexis had managed to convince her father it was _not_ a good idea to interrupt.

"Did she put herself in other people's shoes a lot?" Johanna asked, a glint in her eye, a grin on her lips.

"She must have had really smelly feet then," Beckett said quietly, leaving both girls laughing as Castle approached, against Alexis' orders.

"Hello, ladies," he said, before pointing at Johanna, "I think you're in my seat."

"Pfft! It's _my_ seat now!"

**X X X X X**

**Look at that, another chapter, better late than never :S That seems to be my catch phrase these days, ha!**

**Anyways, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you all had a wonder Christmas and 2011, and best wishes for 2012!**

**Kayla x**


	12. Grandpa's Day Out Ch12

"Come on Jo!"

"Grandpa, I'm still eating!"

"Well why are you so slow?"

"I'm not as slow as you!"

"That's true."

Giggling, Johanna threw the last of her cereal down her throat. She'd spent the night at her grandfathers, as her mother was working early, and it was a weekend. She liked spending the weekends with her Grandpa; he was the typical image of a grandparent. Greying at the temples, soft wrinkles that showed just how well-lived he was, a kind small, warm eyes and a heart of gold.

Those were just some of the things Johanna loved about her grandfather.

"You done?" Jim asked, watching Johanna rinse her bowl in the sink, before placing it gently on the draining board.

"You know, Grandpa," she began, drying her hands as she walked around the bench, "I think _you_ want to go out more than _me_!"

"I think you might be right," he replied, laughing as he pulled the young girl into a hug, "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Brushed your teeth?"

"Not ready!"

He watched after her, chuckling as she ran for the bathroom. He heard the tap running, then stop, before the distinct sound of bristles on teeth were heard. Checking the bag they were bringing, he made sure everything was in there, food, drinks and a first aid kit. Knowing Johanna, she'd need a Band-Aid on more than one occasion.

"Okay, _now_ I'm ready!" she exclaimed, bouncing over to him, allowing his free arm to drape gently over her shoulder.

Today, they were going to what they called their 'special place'. It wasn't much really, just a little picnic area north of the city, right out of the way. Not many people went there, which surprised Johanna; it was such a pretty place. There was one of those old-fashioned, wood and metal playgrounds, huge open spaces with a few giant oak trees dotted here and there. There was a rock outcrop at the back, where you could climb right to the top and see out over the whole park.

If you went over the road, there was the bathrooms and a duck pond. Not that the ducks stayed there; often they ventured out through the whole park, running around the playground, stealing the bread you threw for them that was left over from your lunch.

The first time Johanna had gone there was with her Mom and Grandpa when she was four. It hadn't changed much since then, and she hoped it wouldn't. It was too beautiful to change.

She followed Jim out of his apartment, down the elevator and into the car. It was at least an hour's drive, and Jo liked to make herself comfy in the back seat. Her mother always let her in the front seat of the car, but her Grandpa had a tendency to be a worry wart sometimes, so he never did. Johanna had learned not to argue a long time ago.

"The weather is nice," she said, looking out the window at the sunshine, Jim packing the trunk with their supplies, "It's a good day to go out."

"That it is, Jo," he replied, shutting the trunk and moving his way around to the driver's side of the car.

Rustling through the bag of candy on her lap, she pulled out a chocolate, undoing the wrapper and popping it in her mouth.

"You want a chocolate, Grandpa?" Johanna asked, holding the bag out. He didn't reply, but gave her a playful grin, before reaching in and gently pulling out his own treat.

"Thanks, Jo," he said, before turning the key in the ignition, the car roaring to life, "Alright, let's hit the road!"

**X X X X X**

The drive was shorter than expected, the traffic out of the city fairly light. This had prompted Jim to pull in at McDonald's on the way through, insisting that Johanna and he have an ice cream. She'd accepted it gratefully (what nine-year-old wouldn't?) though had an inkling he just used her as an excuse to have the occasional goodie.

By the time Johanna had finished her Oreo McFlurry, they'd arrived at Cordeaux Park.

"We're here!" she exclaimed, sitting up straight to peer out the window. She looked at each of the picnic and barbeque huts, and noticed that the park was considerably empty.

"Looks like we got the park to ourselves, Jo," Jim exclaimed, pulling up in one of the many empty parking spaces.

Nodding, Johanna was quick to be out of the car as soon as it was stationary, standing up and breathing in the cool, fresh air. She giggled as a group of ducks waddled passed, quacking loudly.

"Well, except for the ducks," Johanna added, giggling, watching them move quickly onto the green, making more noise than before.

"The ducks never leave," Jim said, laughing, "Jo, did you want to grab this bag for me?"

"Sure!"

Her small hands grasped around the handle of the food bag as she grunted, holding it up over her shoulder.

"You alright?" Jim asked, reaching out to take the bag back, however Johanna shrugged away.

"I'm fine, Grandpa," she said, following the path of the ducks to go and pick a hut. Grinning at the possibilities, she decided on one that was probably about ten feet from the bark of the playground, but a few feet over from a barbeque. That was one thing she loved about coming here with Grandpa; he cooked the sausages to perfection, and steak kebabs that were always marinated in some sort of odd concoction. But, they always tasted _amazing_!

"Is this one good, Grandpa?" she called out, pointing at the table. Receiving a nod, she was glad to be rid of the heavy bag on her shoulder. On a quick inspection, there was a mark from the strap, but she was sure it would go away soon.

"Right," Jim sighed, reaching the table and also relieving himself of his bags, "would you like a drink, Jo?"

"Yes please," she agreed, watching him open the cooler bag he'd brought along with him. Rummaging, he pulled out two plastic tumblers, one plain and the other adorned with Angelina Ballerina.

"Grandpa, you _know_ I'm too old for this," Johanna said, holding up the glass, an eyebrow raised. Jim chuckled as he pulled out a bottle of lemonade, twisting the top until the fizz made it pop.

"Well, looks like the lemonade is all mine then," he added, grinning as she held out her cup.

"I'm just kidding, Grandpa," she said, giggling as she watched the liquid bubble inside the bottle, "sort of."

Jim smirked, reaching to hold her cup still as he poured, her eyes following the lemonade into her cup. Once it was full, she was quick to put the tumbler to her lips, chugging at least half of it in one go. Putting the cup down with a sigh, a tiny burp escaped her, as her hand flew up to her mouth.

"Pardon me!" she exclaimed, laughing along with Jim, "Thank you Grandpa!"

"You're welcome, Jo," replied Jim, smiling, as he pulled out the camera he'd stashed in his backpack.

Turning it on, he held it up to Johanna, who immediately pulled her 'photo face' as her Mom called it. After taking a quick snap, she relaxed, looking around the still empty park.

Even though it was empty, it sounded full of life; there were birds in every tree, ducks waddling about the place, the wind rustling through the trees, the water rushing from a river close by.

"Do you wanna go and play, Jo?" Jim asked, donning his hat and fastening the camera strap around his neck, letting it hang down the front of his chest.

"Are you gonna come watch?" asked Johanna, taking another sip of lemonade, looking at her grandfather quizzically.

He nodded, zipping the bag closed, as his young granddaughter jumped up from her seat. She was quick to run over to the playground, crying 'Catch me if you can!' as she went.

He watched in awe as she scaled the structure with ease, climbing right to the top where she could use the slide.

"Grandpa, I'm taller than you!"

Jim chuckled at the young girl, raising the camera to take a few pictures, watching her grin as she hopped off the slide. She ran around to the Flying Fox, scrambling onto the platform before latching on to the handle. Giving herself a push, she went flying across to the other side, laughing as she went. Jim smiled at the photo he'd just taken; she was hanging straight, her eyes exactly on the camera, her expression one of pure joy.

"Grandpa, why do you take pictures all the time?" Johanna asked, sitting in front of the supersized Tic Tac Toe game. Wandering over, Jim took a seat next to her, watching as she flipped all the tiles to blank, before making the first move; making an 'O' in the center square.

Jim shrugged at Johanna's question, flipping the top right tile to an 'X', watching his granddaughter think.

"It's nice to have photos of my girls in the house," he said, as Johanna made her next move, the tile below his changing to an 'O'.

"That way," he continued, blocking her win by changing the center-left tile to an 'X', "even when you're not really there, it feels like you still are."

All Johanna did was nod, contemplating her next move. She chose the top-left tile, spinning it until the 'O' showed before turning to Jim.

"You have a lot of pictures of Grandma," she said, "Do you miss her?"

Jim sighed, his eyes not moving from the game, reaching out to change the bottom-right tile to an 'X'.

"I do miss her sometimes," Jim began, seeing Johanna's eyes moving from the game to him, "but then I remember how happy she was when she talked about Katie, your Mom. I think that, even though she's not here now, she gave me Katie, and my Katie gave me you."

"Was she nice?" Johanna asked, tilting her head, the game all but forgotten for the moment.

"She was a beautiful person, Jo," he continued, "your Mom looks just like her. But, you managed to get her blue eyes."

Johanna shook her head, "Mom says they're too blue; Grandma's were grey."

Chuckling at the fact, Jim nodded.

"Alright, Blue-Eyes-Piggie-Pies," he said, causing the young girl to laugh, "you may not look as much like your Gram as your mother does, but you sure as hell have her temperament."

"Temperament?" Johanna asked, looking at Jim quizzically, "Is that like, how you act?"

"That's exactly right," he explained, "so I guess your Mom did good, giving you the name you have."

"Mom says I remind her of Auntie Abigail," Johanna said, "cos I'm just like Gram, and so was she."

"You're darn right she was!" Jim exclaimed, laughing, "Do you know hard it was to prove those two _wrong_?"

Johanna laughed loudly, knowing exactly what he meant. Looking to the ground, then back to Tic Tac Toe, she changed another tile, the top-center one, to an 'O'.

"Somehow, Jo, I don't think anyone's gonna win, here," he said, chuckling, "How's about we call it a draw?"

"Deal!"

Checking his watch, he grinned, looking to Johanna, who was quite confused.

"I think it's food time!"

**X X X X X**

Johanna felt as though her insides were about to explode from the amount of food she'd eaten, but that didn't stop her from tucking into the mousse her Grandpa had treated her to.

Now, they were sitting across the table from each other, playing cards. It was an easy game she'd learned from him called Rummy. Johanna had wondered why it was called that, but it didn't stop her from enjoying the game.

So far, she was beating him, but she had a feeling he was letting her. He always did that, but he promised her he couldn't in this game.

You had seven cards, and the idea was you had to try and get a run of cards in the same suit. The higher the cards, the more points they were worth, and the same goes for how many cards in each run. At the moment, Johanna had a 2, 3, 4 and 5 of clubs, a 7 of hearts and a Jack and Queen of diamonds. She wanted to get rid of the 7 and get either a 10 or King of diamonds. So far, she hadn't found either of them, and was hoping her Grandpa didn't have them.

Just as the thought passed, Jim drew a card before discarding another, which just so happened to be the King of diamonds. She gently reached out to take it, before placing the 7 of hearts she had on top of the discard pile. Judging by the frown on Jim's face, he had noted her unusually smug expression, as she began to organize her cards and lay them in order on the table.

"Aww, Jo, you're too good at this game!" he exclaimed, tossing his cards onto the table, admitting defeat.

"I think I might be," she said, giggling as she counted up her points, "44 points!"

Jim sighed; being beaten by his nine-year-old granddaughter wasn't exactly something he liked to brag about. Too bad she did.

"It's okay Grandpa, you'll beat me sometime," she said, grinning.

"I'm sure I will, kiddo," he agreed, standing up to stretch, before getting their things together. Johanna immediately began to help, slowly putting the drinks away, the barbeque tools in the bag, collecting up the trash to take it to the bin.

"Gosh, you're a good little helper, Jo," Jim exclaimed, "your Mom must love having you around."

Johanna nodded, "Well, there's no Daddy to help, so she needs me."

Sometimes, Jim forgot just how mature his granddaughter was; she was the same as his own two daughters, who were both wise beyond their years for most of their lives.

"Well, that's very good of you, Jo," he said, taking the handle on a couple of the bags, Johanna doing the same with a warm smile.

They moved their things back into the trunk, and the two were soon sitting in the car. The sun was beginning to get close to the horizon, as the day drew to a close. Johanna sat silent, tired in the back seat, as Jim hummed along to the radio, tapping away on the steering wheel.

"Did you have a good day, Jo?" he asked, glancing in the review mirror to see her sleepy nod."

"Yeah-huh," she added, shuffling in her seat, "but you know I always love spending time with you, Grandpa."

"You're not so bad yourself, kiddo," he said, smiling, as she sighed sleepily.

"I'm going to take a nap, m'kay?" she added leaning against the head rest, her eyes drifting closed.

"Alright, Jo, I'll wake you when we get back to the city," he said, turning the radio down low.

"Grandpa?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

**X X X X X**

**This chapter is dedicated to my own Grandfather, Colin, who unfortunately passed away on the afternoon of January 3. He died a happy man, after spending Christmas and New Year's with his family. All the things recited in this chapter (aside from the discussion of Johanna Beckett, that just kinda flowed) are things my Grandpa and I did when I was Jo's age. It felt right. He will be missed. R.I.P**


	13. The Dress Dilemma Ch13

**Right, new chapter, hope you like it (:**

**X X X X X**

"Mom, it's a good thing you don't wear dresses a lot," Johanna called from her mother's walk in robe. She was perusing her selection of dresses, wincing at every second one, laughing at the others.

"Tell me about it," she sighed, appearing at the wardrobe door, toweling her hair looking frustrated, "how am I going to find something to wear?"

"If you ask me, you should've told Castle you didn't –"

"Don't even go there," Kate interrupted, shaking her head, "you don't even spend a whole lot of time with the man and he's already corrupting you!"

Grinning, Johanna jumped at the sound of the doorbell. She ran from the room, shouting as she went.

"Lanie's here!" she exclaimed, pulling open the door and letting her mother's best friend in.

"Great, another person to insult my wardrobe!" Kate called back, chuckling to herself. It was true; hers was a sad excuse for a substantial wardrobe. It was mostly filled with trench coats, monotonous colored sweaters and basic black slacks. The only thing Johanna envied was her mother's shoe collection. She had no style, height or color of heel left unworn in her stash.

"Please, don't be such a drama queen!" Lanie exclaimed, throwing her bag on the bed and plonking on it, Johanna quick to join her.

"Yeah, gosh, Mom!"

Kate was quick to poke her tongue out at her daughter, who returned the favor almost instantaneously, causing Lanie to giggle.

"Man, you guys could be your own sitcom," she gushed, "you're so cute!"

"I know; you're jealous, right?" Kate said, winking at a giggling Johanna. Lanie shook her head, still laughing as she turned her focus on the wardrobe.

"Alright, girl, what have you got for me?" she asked, sighing, clasping her hands together on top of her crossed knee. Johanna was fighting laughter by her side, receiving a glare from her mother before she headed into the robe.

"You are gonna have a hard time finding anything," Johanna whispered, smirking, "her dresses are all _ugly_!"

"Hey!"

"What?" Johanna cried, Kate appearing before her, hangers dangling from her hands with the best and worst – though, mostly worst – of her dresses.

"Sorry, Kate, I think Junior might be right," Lanie added, raising an eyebrow at the bright, the fluorescent, the sparkled and the downright disgusting, "what is _that_?"

Pointing to a hot pink sequined number, Kate held it out with a bite of her lip. True, it wasn't the most attractive of dresses. To be honest, she couldn't even remember having it, let alone buying it…

"It looks like _Showgirls_ threw up on it, right?" Johanna asked animatedly, looking to Lanie. She needed someone to agree with her!

"How old _are_ you?" Lanie questioned incredulously, leaving the young girl shrugging and laughing.

"Nine going on nineteen," Kate muttered, throwing the dresses onto her bed with a frustrated sigh, watching Johanna shake her head.

"Nope, if I was nineteen, you could have borrowed something from me to wear tonight," Johanna added, laughing with Lanie, succumbing to a high five.

Kate was about to scold her daughter, but was interrupted by the doorbell. She turned pleadingly to Lanie, who simply raised an eyebrow, while Johanna rolled her eyes.

"If I get the door, I'm off the hook," she stated, moving to stand. Kate rolled her eyes herself, huffing and crossing her arms.

"Fine, just skedaddle already!" she muttered, waving a hand after the little brunette who bounced out of the room.

"Ooh, someone's touchy," Lanie commented, looking coyly sideways at Kate, who looked as though she was about to put her fist through the wall.

"You know what he's trying to do?" she said, shaking in anger, "He wants to _humiliate_ me!"

Lanie chuckled quietly, as Johanna made her into the room carrying a box that was almost as big as her.

"Mom, you got a package," she stated, putting it on the end of the bed behind Lanie, "I don't know who it's from."

"Well did you check the card?" Kate asked, reaching out to grab it. However, she was too slow, as Johanna's fingers pulled in from her almost grasp. Holding it up and opening it, a secretive and mischevious look in her eye, she raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"He likes Cinderella?" Johanna added, smirking into laughter, as Lanie took the card from the young girl, reading it aloud.

"Bippity Boppity Boo?" she read, sounding just as confused as Johanna had looked only a moment ago.

Kate's face mirrored the puzzled look of those in the room, until her mouth dropped and her eyes widened.

"It's from him!"

**X X X X X**

"Mom, stop playing with it!" Johanna demanded, slapping her mother's hand before returning to her work. Sighing, Kate dropped her hand from the corset of her new dress, letting it sit comfortably on her thigh. The delivery had been from Castle, and, although she wanted to curse him for his arrogance, Kate found she couldn't. The dress was beautiful; Johanna had told her she looked like a princess, while Lanie had opted for a less suitable description.

"_I'm sure he chose _that_ cut himself!"_

Now, she was sitting in her bathroom on a dining chair, while said girls worked on her hair and make-up.

"Mom, stop moving your eyeball!" Johanna scolded, "Or your eye shadow will look gross!"

She sighed again and tried to keep still. It was harder than she'd thought it would have been, letting her nine-year-old be in charge of her make-up. Still, Lanie had insisted she would take over if things looked like they were headed south. But so far, her daughter had needed no intervention. Kate just hoped it wasn't for Lanie's amusement.

"Okay, now open your eyes," Johanna instructed, as her mother's lids fluttered before revealing her hazel irises. The satisfied grin that spread over the young girl's face gave Kate a little bit of comfort, but the gasp that emitted from her best friend was the tell.

"Oh, Kate, you look –"

"Shh!" came the demand from Johanna, "She's not finished!"

Lanie held up a hand in apology, grinning and laughing at the seriousness of Baby Beckett, as she moved on to do her mother's mascara. Growing up around both Lanie and Kate, she'd learned these sorts of things from an early age; the right make-up, the right clothes, the best shoes, all of it. She was wise beyond her years, in more ways than one.

"But Mom, you look really good," Johanna assured, flashing a smile as she brandished the mascara wand. She swiftly and expertly coated her mother's gorgeous lashes, before taking a step back to admire her work. Glancing quickly at Lanie, who nodded, Johanna was soon taking her mother's hand. They had left her facing away from the mirror, so she was surprised.

"Mommy, you've never looked so beautiful," Johanna whispered in her ear, as she watched her stand up and sigh.

"Really?" Kate asked, her tone uncertain, as the little blue eyes below her brightened, the warm smile giving her comfort.

"Really," she said through her grin, "now take a look!"

Slowly, Kate turned to the mirror, and gasped at what she saw. The woman in the mirror was _not_ her, it couldn't be. It didn't look a thing like Detective Beckett. But tonight, even though she was on duty, she didn't feel like Detective Beckett, the strong, by-the-book detective. Tonight, she felt like Kate, the happy, carefree and smiling girl she used to be.

"Kate?"

She turned at the voice, as Lanie's smiling face greeted her, she finally let her own grin grace her features.

"I gotta head off, but you have to tell me _everything_," she said, walking forward to pull her friend into a hug.

"And I mean _everything_!"

**X X X X X**

They stood in the elevator in silence. Johanna was aware of her mother constantly checking the time, making sure she had everything, fixing her dress, fiddling with her hair. It was what she did when she was nervous.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Castle going on a date?"

Kate was taken aback by the question; surely Johanna knew this was just fieldwork, right? She'd already told her it was.

"You know it's not, Jo," she said, her breath hitching as the elevator dinged. The doors slid open, and Kate led her daughter down the hall to Castle's front door.

"Then why are you so nervous if it's just police work?" Johanna asked, her scheming now in full swing.

"I'm not nervous," Kate demanded, reaching the door to knock, "I just…"

"Just what?"

Kate looked down at her daughter, who was offering her a warm, close-mouthed smile, her eyes bright as she gazed up at her Mom. Adjusting the backpack on her shoulder, she looked to the door, which swung slowly open, a tall, elegant redhead meeting them. Martha gasped, beaming at the older brunette who stood uneasy in her doorway.

"Stunning," she murmured, holding out an arm for the detective, "simply stunning!"

Kate's eyes peered back down at a grinning Johanna, before looking back to the older woman, "Thank you, Martha."

Castle and Alexis appeared walking from the study, Johanna's smile widening as she moved over to join them.

"You look amazing," Alexis gushed, before the arms of little Beckett clamped around her waist, causing her to giggle. All eyes were still on Kate, whose eyes had widened and cheeks reddened significantly in the last few seconds. Johanna smiled to herself at the sight; they really were all kinds of adorable.

"Really?" Kate asked, her eyes landing on Castle's blue ones, her fingers intertwining with themselves over and over.

Martha gave a quick gasp, before quickly exiting the room, leaving Alexis staring after her in wonder. Castle couldn't take his eyes off Kate.

"Really," he said, "you clean up nice, Detective!"

She gave a reserved smile before she spoke, "Thank you, Castle."

A moment of silence was broken as Martha came bustling back in, her hands clasping on something small, though delicate.

Johanna tugged gently on Alexis' sweater, reaching for her ear as the older girl bent down slightly.

"What's that your Grams has?" she asked, Alexis only shrugging in return, her eyes on the young girl.

Brushing it off, Johanna looked back to her mother, gasping at the beautiful red gems that now lay around her neck. Her mouth gaped, as she struggled to find just the right words to say.

"Mommy, you look so beautiful," she murmured in an almost whisper, leaning her head gently into Alexis' side.

It was Kate's turn to be breathless, as she noticed how well her own daughter fit with Castle's. They were worlds apart in the way they lived and looked, but they were so alike in so many ways. Their intelligence, their dedication to family and friends, their cheeky little grins…

Instead, she flashed a smile and gestured for Johanna, who immediately left Alexis and ran into the arms of her mother. Kate crouched down, receiving her daughter's arms around her neck, though careful to avoid her hair. Johanna's chin rested lightly on her shoulder, before she pulled back, both girls with tears in their eyes.

"Don't have too much fun without me, kay?" Johanna said, grinning as Kate laughed, shaking her head. Moving to stand, little Beckett clamped her hands around the bigger one once more, before taking a step back, her face still wide in a smile.

"Have fun with Castle!" Johanna added, giggling, before she dashed off to stand by the grinning Castles. Kate's face had turned a rather intense shade of scarlet, as Castle wandered forward, holding out his arm, a warm smile adorning his face.

"Have a good night you guys," Alexis called, both Castle and Kate waving in acknowledgement, before the door closed between them.

As they headed for the elevator, Kate was able to let some of her anxiety slide, Castle's light but comforting grip on her arm relieving some of the tension.

"So," he began, as they paused, waiting for the elevator, "what kind of 'fun' was your daughter inferring?"

"Castle!" she exclaimed, her mouth wide in shock, "She's _nine_!"

Chuckling, he led her carefully into the elevator, pressing the button for the lobby as he went.

"Come on, Beckett, I'm just kidding," he said, contemplating for a moment, "though, not about the 'type of fun' part."

"Castle!"

**X X X X X**

**I hope you enjoyed! Review with any questions, thoughts or queries, and have a great day!**

**Kayla x**


	14. Night In vs Night Out

Johanna was seated on the large bed that filled the middle of the guest room. She was looking around curiously, her eyes moving from a well-stocked bookcase, standard for a novelist, to the dark wood robe, desk and chest of drawers on the far wall. The almost full-length window was similar to those in the living room, and was framed by white curtains that fell to the floor.

It was a gorgeous room, much nicer and cleaner than even some hotel rooms Johanna had been in before. Alexis let herself in through the open door, a towel draped over one arm, a tatty book Johanna recognized in the other.

Smiling, she watched her host redhead sit gently on the bed, dropping the book on the covers, the peach-colored towel beside it.

"In case you want to shower in the morning," Alexis explained, receiving a nod. The younger girl reached out to pick up the book, her eyes giving a once over to the title.

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_," Johanna murmured, her fingers fiddling with the tassels of the bookmark in its pages.

"I thought you might want to read it," Alexis said, "we were sort of interrupted last time."

Nodding as she placed it aside, Johanna instead reached for the notepad on the bedside table. She looked to the older girl who appeared confused, watching the younger open the pad and uncap the pen.

"I actually have an assignment to do for Monday," Johanna explained, holding the pen in her hand, scrawling the date in the corner of the page, "but you can help if you want."

Instead of replying, Alexis' eyes were rested on the pen in Johanna's hand.

"You're left handed," she stated, pointing at the hand holding the blue biro, as Johanna nodded.

"Yeah, uh…" she murmured, looking between the blue eyes of her company and her hand on the page, "I guess I am."

Holding out her hands, a glint in her eye, Alexis gestured for the notepad, which Johanna passed to her, confused.

Positioning the pen in her hand, the redhead began to write her name in neat cursive beneath the date Johanna had written moments before. Gasping, Johanna's eyes were also captivated by the discovery.

"You're a leftie too!" she exclaimed.

Grinning, Alexis handed back the pen and pad back to the small girl, who was still gazing incredulously.

"All the best people are left-handed," she said, leaving Johanna nodding enthusiastically.

"Only 10% of the world is left-handed," Johanna said, "So we must be super-unique too."

Alexis laughed quietly, watching Johanna begin to write notes in the pad. She was writing quickly, faster than a nine-year-old would normally.

"What's your assignment about?" the redhead asked, picking up a piece of paper to take a look, giving it a once over as Johanna spoke.

"It's just a book report," Johanna said, not looking up from her notebook, "but apparently this one has to be 'detailed'."

Smirking at the young girl's annoyance, she placed the piece of paper back on the bed and picked up the copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ that sat on the bed.

"Is this the book you have to write about?" Alexis asked, holding it up, Johanna's eyes meeting hers, followed by a nod, "And how is it meant to be 'detailed'?"

Grinning, the young girl chuckled quietly before she spoke, "It's basically my teacher's way of saying 'there's more to this than a book report'."

Laughing along with her, Alexis watched as Johanna quickly scrawled a few more things, before admiring her work and sighing. Closing the pad, she gathered up everything on the bed into a neat pile, placing them on the bed side table as she fell back comfortably onto the pillow.

"Had enough?" Alexis asked, receiving a nod, smiling as she stood up, straightening the creases in her pants as she did so.

"I'll finish it tomorrow," Johanna explained, "It's not due until the end of the week."

A final nod and a few more strides left Alexis at the bedroom door, watching Johanna fiddle with the watch on her hand, pulling it gently off her wrist and laying it flat on the bedside table. Reaching out, she switched off the lamp at the same time, before curling herself up under the covers in the light from the hall.

"Good night, Lex," she called, laying her head on the dreamily soft pillow, letting her eyes close immediately, as she heard the quiet reply, followed by the door creaking shut.

"Night, Johanna."

**X X X X X**

"You know Beckett, your daughter is one pretty amazing girl," Castle said, holding out an arm to allow her into the elevator first. They were returning, albeit later than expected, from their 'night out on the town', after a quick detour to the precinct.

One interrogation and few sleuthing sniffs later left the two heading back to Castle's loft in SoHo.

"After the night we've had, you're still thinking about my daughter?" Beckett replied, a tone of disbelief emitting through her words. True, she knew her daughter was more of a people person than she was; she had an undeniable charm, combined with her beauty, which made her almost impossible to dislike to passers-by. But really, did that mean that Castle had to mention it every five seconds.

"Come on, Beckett, don't act like you don't use her to your advantage," he added playfully, "She's this bright, playful bundle of excitement! That's got to help get people off on the right foot."

"Pfft, yeah, didn't when I had her," Beckett muttered, which invited one of _those_ looks from Castle. The if-I-look-curious-enough-you'll-tell-me look that was sure to get the better of her when she wasn't expecting it.

Still, she figured it best to appease him, or else have him pestering her over and over for some sort of clue until he could figure it out himself.

"Castle, I was only twenty when Johanna was born," Beckett began, "I had to drop out of college and get three different jobs just to support us because…well, my Dad wasn't exactly reliable."

The elevator stopped, doors sliding open, Castle's arm reaching out to link with hers as they headed back to the loft door. The whole time, he was staring at her with that glint in his eye, the one that meant understanding, on some level.

"Detective Beckett," he started, stopping her at the door, facing her, his eyes on hers, "if I were only twenty years old, strapped for cash and trying to raise a daughter alone, I'd end up being admitted by the system and my child in foster care."

"That's reassuring," she muttered with a smirk, watching him glare mildly before he began to continue.

"But you?" he said, "You brought that little girl in there up in a world with love and support. You became a cop, a decision that was probably partly to do with a desire for justice, but also to keep her safe from the horrors of the world."

She was stuck, completely lost for words. It wasn't often that she was unable to come up with some pithy remark, or even just a legible response, but in that moment, Castle had her stumped.

"Castle –"

"No, Kate, listen to me," he interjected, "all the dirty looks you got in the world couldn't come up against all the good you did for her. She's got an amazing mother to look up to."

There was a long – _really_ long – moment of silence that passed between the pair. For the longest time, all they could do was stare, Beckett on the verge of tears, Castle looking modestly triumphant (if ever a thing were possible for him).

"Thank you, Castle," Beckett almost whispered, giving him a small smile that didn't amount to the way she was feeling inside, by any stretch. Still, she laughed softly at the goofy grin she got in return, before Castle turned to unlock the door.

Inside the loft, it was quiet, all the lights out aside from the study and kitchen. There was a note left by Alexis from an hour ago, saying she'd turned in for the night, and that Johanna did do _some_ homework.

However, Beckett wasn't too fussed with the note for the moment, removing her shoes and making a beeline for the stairs she knew led to the guest room.

"I'll be right back," she said quickly, scaling the staircase before she could hear a reply. Her eyes fell on the door furthest down the hall, moments before the door knob was in her grasp and turning, the door sliding ajar as she peeked in.

Letting out a quiet sigh of amusement, she was met with the tired eyes of Johanna, who was sitting up in her bed, book in hand.

"I thought you were supposed to be asleep?" Beckett asked, walking in and sitting on the bed. Johanna closed the book gently, yawning as she placed it on the bedside table, fiddling with the tassels of her bookmark for a few moments longer before she turned to her mother, shrugging.

"Woke up again," she said bluntly, shuffling out from under the covers to sit beside Beckett, who allowed her free arm to gently pull the young girl closer. There was a tired sigh and stifled yawn before Johanna's arms wrapped themselves around the older woman's waist, holding gently on to her warmth and envelopment.

"You wanna go home, or just sleep here?" Beckett asked quietly, getting an incoherent mumble in return, causing her to laugh.

"Sorry, Mumblebum, I didn't get that one," she added, watching the weary blue eyes peer up at her from behind half-shut eyes.

"Whatever works, Mommy," Johanna said sleepily, letting her head fall back into her mother's embrace, her eyes sliding shut again.

It took only a few moments before the young girl's breathing became deep and even, her grasp around her mother loose from sleep. Beckett moved gingerly, aiming to move her under the covers without waking her. Though, judging by how tired she'd looked, she didn't figure there would be stirring any time soon.

With a kiss on the forehead and a whispered 'I love you', Beckett was gently shutting the door and heading downstairs, her sock-clad feet making no sound on the glass stairs.

Once she arrived downstairs, she'd noticed Castle had since changed from his suit into more comfortable sweats and a t-shirt. Beckett looked on in envy, the desire to be out of her work clothes overriding any other need or want. She'd packed an overnighter, leaving it downstairs for the purpose of not waking Johanna when she got in. Not that it had apparently been a problem, but it had made sense at the time.

"Upstairs ensuite is all yours," Castle called from the kitchen, causing Beckett to turn once she'd collected her bag. Right now, all she wanted to do was change, brush her teeth then crash. And, by the weariness surrounding his eyes, that's exactly what Castle had in mind too. Although, he also appeared to have the munchies, as he walked toward her holding a bag of cheese puffs.

Gently shaking her head, Beckett was remiss of the glare she received, and continued up the stairs slowly. _This_ was why she refused to have stairs in her apartment; too much effort!

"Good night, Castle," she added quietly, giving a small wave before she retired up the stairs, a gentle salute in return being her only send-off into slumber.

**X X X X X**

**Well, for a long time I was stuck on this. I can't remember which part, but it took me a while to get over it, which I apologize for. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Kayla x**


	15. Tales of Fun Ch15

"Hey Mom?"

"Mmm?"

Kate didn't move, instead rolled over to face away from her daughter, who was now sitting up in the bed, scrawling on her notebook again.

"Mom!"

"Alright, what?" Kate replied curtly, flipping onto her back, a hand over her face to gently massage her eyes. The room was still dark, but it couldn't possibly be that early she thought, figuring the curtains were probably drawn.

"Why am I left-handed?" Johanna asked, "You're right-handed, and so is Grandpa, so…"

"Jo, I don't think it really matters what hand you write with –"

"Alexis is left-handed too," the young girl interjected, her eyes resting intently on her mother's tired ones, "but she said that's cos her Mom is one too, so why am I –"

"Jo, really, it's far too early to be talking about this," her mother snapped, rolling back over again, groaning loudly more for effect than anything else.

Sighing, Johanna shook her head, turning back to her notepad and writing, before throwing it aside. Peering sideways, she watched Kate shuffle in her place, her eyes still closed as she rolled onto her back again. Moving to lay down herself, she rested her head on Kate's shoulder, nestling herself in her mother's side.

Kate sighed and chuckled quietly to herself, letting her arm loop around Johanna's shoulder's, lifting her up into a seated position, her little blue eyes looking right into hers.

"You are left handed," she began, Johanna's eyes not moving and barely faltering, "just like your aunt and your great grandmother."

"Mamaw is left-handed?" Johanna questioned, "I didn't know that…"

"Jo, you were only four the last time you saw her," Kate said, laughing, "I don't think you would've remembered even if you knew."

Giggling, Johanna nestled herself in her mother's side, sighing. Come to think of it, she hadn't spoken to her great-grandparents in a long time. Until Kate began working full-time, they had gone to Ohio to visit their extended family every Thanksgiving, but hadn't in five years. Still, they would send and receive letters regularly, but Johanna was coming to realize how long it had been since she'd written to her Mamaw and Papaw.

"I remember that time, Grandpa fell off his horse and told me his butt was gonna fall off," the little girl said, emitting laughter from the two Becketts, "then while he was running around, he tripped and almost landed in the bonfire!"

"Yeah, your Grandpa is pretty crazy," Kate said, still laughing gently with her words, before a grumbling of Johanna's stomach caused her to chuckle louder.

"I got the rumblies!" Johanna exclaimed, jumping up off the bed, bouncing over to the door and waiting, "Alexis said Castle cooks breakfast sometimes!"

Shaking her head, Kate moved to her bag, pulling out a clean bra and expertly put it on under her t-shirt without removing it. Johanna rolled her eyes, watching her mother glare as she padded over to the door, walking through with a grin as it was held open for her.

"Thanks Jo," Kate added, pausing in the hall as the little girl closed the door gently, joining her on their way down the stairs.

"So, did you have fun last night?" Johanna asked, looking from the stairs in front of her as she walked and her mother, "Were you the prettiest one there?"

"Oh, Miss Jo, you're too kind!" Kate said with a laugh, a hand resting on her daughter's closest shoulder, "But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

"So you _did_ have fun with Castle?" the little girl added cheekily, a glare shot her way instantly.

"Well, it was fun watching him be auctioned off to the highest bidder," Kate began, reaching the foot of the stairs to find the rest of the loft empty and quiet, "especially when a guy wanted to go on a date with him."

"A _guy_?" Johanna cried, her mouth gaping before her hand flew up to shield her giggles.

"Oh yeah, he was really pretty," Kate laughed, watching in awe at the grin that was spread across her daughter's face, her eyes sparkling as she chuckled.

"Did you and Castle dance?" she asked eagerly, a glint in her eye as she watched her mother's face turn a nice shade of red.

"We may or…may not have danced together," Kate added coyly, as Johanna's jaw dropped yet again, an excited gasp escaping her.

"Oh my gosh, Mom!" Johanna exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down in her seat, "That means he held you close, like…Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Prince Charming –"

"Hey now, don't go too wild with your theories there, Jo!" Kate cried, holding out a hand, but that didn't seem to deter her daughter, who gave her a quick glare then continued with her spiel after another gasp.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," she began quickly, both her hands up, her eyes laying seriously on her mother's, "did you guys hold hands?"

"What?"

"OR!" Johanna cried again, not letting Kate answer, "Did you guys hug? What about a kiss?"

At the mention of their non-existent kiss, the older Beckett's jaw dropped, her cheeks flashing a flamboyant color of red, as her daughter let out an excited, elongated gasp.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" she exclaimed, this time her bouncing becoming more exaggerated as the seconds passed. Unfortunately, before she began to speak, the figure of Castle shuffling toward them went unnoticed.

"You totally kissed Castle!"

"She what now?"

**X X X X X**

Kate's eyes were wide, her cheeks bright pink from embarrassment as a tired, confused Castle came toward them, yawning.

"Good morning, Castle," Johanna greeted, "Did you kiss my Mom last night?"

"Johanna!"

Amongst her mother's scolding, Castle was chuckling quietly to himself, placing a hand on each of the chairs the Becketts sat on.

"Ah, unfortunately, Miss Johanna, your mother was entirely too nasty to deserve a kiss last night," he explained, the young girl hugging her legs and giggling.

"Yeah, Mom said that a _boy_ wanted to go on a date with you!" she exclaimed incredulously, "And she thought it was funny!"

"Oh, I know, isn't she cruel!"

"Hey!" Kate cried, "Quit conspiring with my daughter!"

Castle grinned and Johanna giggled, while Kate sat defeated, shaking her head. Castle was entirely too childish for his own good, while Johanna was the opposite; too mature for her age. Somehow, they managed to meet in the middle and form a dynamic duo of trouble-making. God forbid they ever be left in the city together!

"This is payback for not going on that date with me," Castle added, moving around the island and into the kitchen, watching Johanna's jaw drop. Kate's face had still not recovered from her last bout of humility, her cheeks maintaining a permanent shade of color.

"_WHAT?_" Johanna cried, startling the conversing redheads who were coming down the stairs.

"Really, darling, who is this excited at this time of the morning?" came the weary voice of Martha, who took the end seat beside Kate, while Alexis moved to sit on the other side of the young girl.

"Alexis," Johanna began, twisting around on to her knees, hands resting on the older girl's shoulders, "My mom and your dad _totally_ danced when they went out last night!"

Quiet laughter erupted from both Martha and Castle, while Alexis' eyes widened, flicked to her father, then back to Johanna.

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"So I take it you kids had fun last night?" Martha directed to Kate and her son, while the two girls began to converse quietly to themselves.

"Yes, well, you would know, Mother," Castle added in an attempt to spare an already extremely embarrassed Kate, who was now raising an eyebrow in his direction.

"It's okay, Martha, I thought it was hilarious," Kate added with a grin, laughing along with the older woman before glancing at the microwave oven clock with a sigh.

Castle gave her a confused look, before turning himself, nodding in understanding. It was nearing eight o'clock, and, although it was a Sunday, the Detective had a case to solve. Slowly, she began to stand, a hand resting on her daughter's shoulder.

"Hey, Jo, time to get ready," Kate added quietly, feeling Johanna's shoulders slump under her grasp, causing her to grin.

"Uh, Detective Beckett?" Alexis began, Johanna pausing on her move from the stool and Kate looking her way.

"Please, Alexis, call me Kate," she insisted, smiling before the young redhead continued.

"Okay, Kate," Alexis began, "if you want, I could look after Johanna today. You know, so you guys can work and…if that's okay, of course."

"Alexis, that's really sweet of you, but you already had to put up with her last night –"

"Hey! I'm not _that_ bad!" Johanna demanded, mouth ajar, arms crossed in a huff as Kate rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes," her mother added, turning back to Alexis, "but honestly, I couldn't ask you to do it again."

"Kate, really, it's fine, she's a great little girl," the redhead smiled, watching Johanna flash an I-told-you-so glance at Kate, "and it's not a problem."

"Thank you, Alexis, really," the older Beckett gushed, before she turned to her daughter, "this means you have to be good!"

"Pfft, Mom, I'm always good!"

"Mm, yeah okay," Kate added, walking away with a laugh and head shake, Castle chuckling himself as he watched the female detective wander up the stairs.

"I'm gonna go get dressed, kay, Lex?" Johanna said, before she bounded away and up the stairs after her mother, humming as she went.

Leaving the three Castles behind, Alexis had to laugh at the young Beckett, who was a perfect snapshot of childhood with the sophistication she'd learned from her own mother.

"That was really nice of you, Alexis," Castle added with pride, "I can tell that little girl looks up to you."

"Thanks Dad, but I actually enjoyed looking after her," she replied, "She's a sweet kid."

Castle had to smile; his little girl was growing up, sometimes entirely too fast for his liking. But, then again, he had to remind himself that anyone was more mature than he was, including Alexis. In fact, he was fairly certain that even Johanna was more mature than he, but that wasn't something he was going to admit to a girl who was the daughter of the queen of 'I told you so'.

**X X X X X**

**Okie dokie, new chapter, enjoy! I'm trying to get through it as quick as possible; I want to move on to chapters from the second season, but there are still some parts I want to cover in S1, so hang tight, we'll move on eventually! (Plus, I'm sure you guys can't wait until I get up to speed with little Jo growing up and all the circumstances in S4 [or maybe that's just me!] (: )**

**Kayla x**


	16. Unwanted Arrival Ch16

**So, I'm **_**really**_** on a roll for this story!**

**X X X X X**

It was bright but still early when Johanna was nudged awake by her mother. It was mid-week, and, as like every morning since Sunday, the young Beckett awoke to ask her mother when she was going to see Alexis again.

"Hey Mom, you know we played that laser tag game like the first time we went over?" Johanna exclaimed for what seemed like the five hundredth time, Kate running her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Jo, please, it's early, okay?" she scolded, "You'll see Alexis again soon, but right now, I need to get ready for work, and you need to get dressed for school."

"But Mom, it's only seven thirty!" Johanna cried, pointing to the clock on the far wall to prove her point, "And Grandpa's on that old person fishing trip."

Kate didn't speak, but planted a bowl of cereal in front of her daughter, a glass of milk and a spoon, before moving quickly out of the kitchen.

"Eat, then go get changed, your clothes will be on your bed," Kate instructed, emitting a sigh from Johanna. Still, she obliged, spooning her Cheerios into her mouth silently, staring at a blank space on the bench top absent-mindedly.

After leaving her daughter's room, Kate moved quickly into her own, throwing on the nearest matching clothes she could find, sculling the coffee she'd made earlier in the kitchen. All she'd been told in the call was the address, and to be there as soon as possible. Right now, she felt like a hypocrite, telling Johanna she'd never be coming to a crime scene then dragging her to one all in the same month. Unfortunately, at this point, she had no choice; like Johanna had said, her father was away on a fishing trip all week, Lanie was probably already headed to the scene, as was Castle. There really was nowhere else for her to go but with her.

"Hey, Mom?" Johanna called from the doorway, distracting her mother momentarily. Luckily, she'd caught her just before she headed for the chest where her gun lived. A few seconds later, and Johanna would have been met with a fairly confronting image.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Kate replied, walking over to her struggling nine-year-old, who was clinging to the sash on her dress, frustrated. Kneeling down, she was quick to twist it into a bow that hung from the small of her back, the color matching the embroidery in her jeans.

"All done," Kate added, standing and giving Johanna a nudge out the door, as she ambled to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Taking the moment in her stride, she made instant work of taking out her sidearm and holstering it, before moving on to her watch and necklace. In a few moments, she went to join her daughter in the bathroom, running a toothbrush over her pearly whites just as Johanna walked out.

"Oh, by the way Mom," she began, pausing in the doorway, "I just have to wash my bowl and get my bag, then I'm ready."

Kate gave a quick nod, watching the light brown ponytail disappear down the hall, before bouncing back again, backpack in hand. Once she'd finished her teeth, she gave her face a quick makeover, washing and applying her usual make-up. She'd come to confine it to only a few minutes, but still manage to get it done properly and quickly.

As she made her way back toward the main part of the house, making a detour to her room for her phone on the way, she heard the voice of an insistent child.

"Mom, I'm ready!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!"

Standing by the door, Johanna raised her eyebrow as Kate grabbed her keys from the bench and her coin purse from the front table, throwing it into her jacket pocket along with her phone.

"Alright, kiddo, let's hit the road!"

**X X X X X**

As they pulled up at the police tape, Johanna was aware of her instructions. If she was told to move away, she would do so immediately, if she felt uncomfortable or afraid, she was to say so. Anything her mother told her to do, she was to do, no matter what. The little girl sat quietly in the back seat, peering out the window as she undid her seatbelt.

The crime scene was just as she imagined it; police cars on the curb, a fluorescent yellow strip of police tape cordoning off the area and many people wandering in and out with notepads and suitcases. Her mother let her out gingerly, jutting her hand out demandingly, which Johanna took. While she locked the car, Johanna grinned at the sight of their soon-to-be company.

"Grande skim-latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla and a bear claw," Castle exclaimed triumphantly, handing both the cardboard cup and paper bag to the reluctant detective, who was forced to release her daughter's hand to take them.

"Hey, Jo, what are you doing here?" Castle asked, reaching to take her hand in place of his partner, who gave him a thankful glance.

"Mom said she'll take me to school later, cos she had to get here quick," the young girl explained, watching her feet as they walked into the crime scene. Castle couldn't deny that Beckett seemed nervous, and Johanna was oddly quiet, though still extremely attentive to everything around her.

Before they headed into what appeared to be the room of the crime, Beckett turned to Castle, handing him her coffee, lowering the bear claw down to a wide-eyed Johanna.

"Castle, could you watch her for a sec?" she asked, looking from his understanding eyes to her daughter's questioning ones. After receiving a nod, she gave Johanna's shoulder a squeeze before she ducked under the tape and into the room. Castle allowed the young girl to take a seat, watching her fiddle with a tear in the bag in her hands as she sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Are you okay, Johanna?" he asked, moving to sit against the wall beside the girl, her eyes lifting to his. She had a look of contentment, but was not smiling as she offered him a nod.

"Mom is just nervous that I'll see something bad, that's all," she explained, "so I'm just following her instructions, I guess."

Grinning, both their eyes landed on said female detective as they slowly made their way onto their feet.

"Castle, you can head in, I just have to speak to Jo for a sec," Beckett murmured nervously, taking her now cold coffee back from the mystery writer before he entered, passing a greeting to Captain Montgomery on his way.

"Listen, Jo," she began, "it's not a murder, okay? So, there's nothing that'll frighten you, but it is still a crime scene, do you understand?"

Johanna nodded in affirmation, "That means I have to stay right by you unless you tell me to go somewhere else, and don't walk anywhere or talk to anyone I shouldn't."

Beckett had to smile at her little girl, who, for a young girl, was still understanding of the severity of the situation. Taking her hand, she led her slowly into the room, holding her close to her side.

"Beckett."

The address from her Captain took her attention into a side room, one that Johanna figured to be a study or small living area.

"The special agent in on his way over to talk to you, he's just finishing up with the parents," Montgomery explained, a hint of something in his eye. Beckett couldn't decide whether it was knowing and humor or knowing and dreading. It seemed to be a little bit of both in this situation.

"Mom?" Johanna whispered, as they were left alone momentarily, but her call was left unheard as the older woman froze. Her eyes fell on the special agent in question, who was now heading their way. She felt her daughter's hand clench in hers, looking down to see her face set, eyes narrowed.

"Hey, Kate," came the male voice of Special Agent Will Sorensen, who was offering an awkward look in the direction of Beckett.

"Hello Will," she curtly, before his eyes fell on Johanna, her expression unchanged, if not becoming more intent as the moment went on.

"Wow, you've grown up a lot since I last saw you," Sorenson said, attempting to smile, but letting it falter as Johanna's face turned to a glare.

"How old are you now?" he asked awkwardly, clearing his throat as she opened her mouth.

"I'm nine, but I don't expect you to remember that," Johanna said coldly, her words causing the special agent to double back and return his attention to Beckett.

"Uh, so victim is Angela Candela, age 2, she was – what?"

Beckett was amiss for a response to his confusion; here he was, detailing information about a child abduction _in front of_ her daughter. That was definitely not something you discussed in front of a young girl.

"Hey, Castle?" she called, looking from his questioning eyes, to Johanna, then back to him again. In a moment, he gestured for the already clued-in girl, who walked slowly and carefully to his side, allowing him to leave a hand on her shoulder and pull her close. She reveled in the warmth of his coat, joining him in a quiet area of the house, a vantage point where you were safely hidden and out of the way, but still able to observe as needed.

"You don't like FBI agents?" Castle asked Johanna, amused as she watched her eyes roll exaggeratedly.

"No," she replied abruptly, "especially _him_."

Chuckling at her seriousness, he took a seat on a small chair, beckoning for her to join him. She slotted herself in the small space between the arm and Castle's hip, the arm that fell around her both a comfort and an incentive to keep speaking.

"He's a nasty, selfish man, who never even cared about my Mom or I," Johanna finished, staring at the floor in anger, her bottom lip ravaged between her teeth. Her eyes looked up momentarily at her mother, who was still talking with Sorenson, which left her rolling her eyes yet again. Honestly, she didn't care for the special agent at all, and hoped this case was over sooner rather than later.

**X X X X X**

**I have been contemplating this episode/chapter for a **_**very**_** long time! I couldn't wait to write it, which is probably why I pumped it out so quick! I hope you enjoyed their first encounter, but as you've watched, and will now read (though in a slightly different, AU sort of world) there is plenty more of arrogant Mr. Sorensen to come!**

**Kayla x**


	17. Tell Me Why Ch17

After only about a half an hour longer at the crime scene, during which Johanna sat with Castle, the two Becketts were in the car headed for the young girl's school.

Kate had been sitting tense in the front seat, while Johanna was quiet in the backseat, making noise only to hum along with the radio every now and then. Stopping at lights and peering in the review mirror, she found her daughter's eyes resting in her.

"Mom, why was Will there?" Johanna asked curtly, unblinking and serious. She watched on as Kate pulled up to the curb, before cutting the engine and sighing.

"Jo, I know you didn't like him –"

"He was the one who didn't like me," Johanna interrupted, earning a scolding look that put her into silence.

"Jo, he's working the case with me, there's nothing I can do about it right now," Kate explained, "but trust me, I don't like it that he's here either."

Climbing out of the car, the young girl waited for her mother to join her, staring at her feet on the sidewalk. A hand on her shoulder urged her forward, and also signaled her to begin talking again.

"Mom, why did he leave?" Johanna asked, "Cos I know you guys loved each other, but you always said that I come first and –"

"Whoa, kiddo, take a breath," Kate added with a laugh, "and for the record, no, it was his choice to leave, not mine."

"But I know you loved him, Mom," Johanna said, "you said so all the time, and then when he left you were so sad."

"Jo, it was a long time ago, okay?" Kate demanded, stopping her daughter momentarily, before nudging her across the street toward her school.

"And besides," she continued, "If he'd loved me that much, he would have loved you too."

"And he would've stayed," Johanna finished, stopping at the steps where many children and parents were entering.

Looking down, Kate couldn't comprehend were she got such an empathetic and knowledgeable little girl; she certainly didn't learn that trait from her.

"Like I said, it was a long time ago, sweetie," she added, leaning down to leave a kiss on the top of her head. Small hands clamped around her waist, a head nuzzling into the space between her ribs, a smile spreading across her face.

"It was a long time ago," Johanna added, looking up at Kate, "I was only five!"

Laughing quietly, the older Beckett was quick to shake her head, brushing a lock of hair from her daughter's smiling face.

"It's okay, Mom, you'll find someone who loves us both," Johanna said, taking a step back onto a step, her eyes gaining height to be closer to her mother's. However, the bright greens were quizzical and narrowed, a half-grin on her face, as Johanna erupted in quiet giggles.

"What are you giggling about, missy?" asked Kate, the accusatory tone in her voice making her daughter giggle louder still, before she clambered up the stairs toward the school building.

"Bye Mom, I love you!" she called, waving before she pushed her way through the doors. Kate peered in, watching as her daughter was met by her two friends, both of which were dragging her laughing into the hallway, out of view.

**X X X X X**

On the drive back to the crime scene, Kate let many thoughts of their new accomplice for this case run through her mind. True, what she told Johanna was right, it had been over four years since she'd last seen Will Sorensen, and in her mind, that was a long time. A long time since he walked out of her life almost as quickly as he came…

She should've seen the signs that he wouldn't stick around, Johanna's attitude toward him being the first. To Kate, the only test of whether a man could be given a chance was dependent upon her. That little girl was her everything, the sole reason for her to continue fighting with the world and endeavoring to come out on top.

Will had been the single exception to this rule – despite Johanna's immediate dislike, Kate had hoped he would grow on her. He'd seemed different at first, loyal, dedicated, like any guy looking for a serious relationship would be. But, in the end, her daughter's instincts had been right; he ended up moving on, and seemingly forgetting about them.

"_Mommy, is Will coming over tonight?" Johanna asked, laying on her stomach on her mother's bed, watching her peer through her wardrobe. _

"_Uh, yeah, sweetie, he is," Kate added, the little girl sighing dramatically. _

"_Do you love him Mommy?" Johanna questioned, bouncing onto her bottom, eyes still set intently on her mother, "Because you've been going out with him for a long time."_

"_It's, uh…it's complicated, but, yeah, it's feeling that way," she replied, pulling on her sweats just as the doorbell buzzed. A moment of panic erupted in Kate, as she scoured for a shirt, deeming that answering the door in sweats and bra really wasn't a great idea. _

"_Jo, could you get that, please?" she asked, "It's Will."_

_The young girl nodded, accepting the warm smile from Kate as she skipped out of the bedroom, heading for the door. Pulling it open, she was met with the awkward smile from the special agent, who was significantly higher than she was. However, Johanna did not return the smile, instead maintaining a straight face, stepping aside to let him in. _

"_Hey, uh…hey there," he greeted hesitantly, clearing his throat nervously as the door shut quietly. Moving around toward the couch, she simply smiled curtly at him, before taking her seat._

"_Mom'll be out soon," she added, grabbing a book from the coffee table, sitting back with a sigh as she turned to the page she was up to. _

"_Hey kiddo, uh, can I –"_

"_Will, I'm trying to read, okay?" Johanna exclaimed innocently, watching his eyebrow raise with a smirk. Despite her effort to be kind to the man, when he went ahead and responded like this, she couldn't help but get a little angry. _

"_Are you even old enough to read that?" he asked with a laugh, "Aren't you like, three?"_

"_I'm five, actually," Johanna added coldly, "It's not that hard to remember."_

"_Oh, gee, sorry," Will muttered, blue eyes glaring at him over the top of a novel. _

_Slotting the bookmark in the page, Johanna left the book on the cushion beside her, standing up abruptly before moving quickly into the bedroom, leaving a stunned Will sitting on the couch. She stomped into her mother's room, where Kate was pulling her hair into a ponytail, about to head out of the room._

"_Mommy, he forgot my name again," Johanna said quietly, malice in her tone as she threw herself face first onto the bed. Sighing, Kate dropped her hands from her hair, walking over to the bed to fall onto her stomach, groaning comically as an arm dragged her daughter closer. _

"_Listen, missy," Kate began, Johanna's eyes looking up at her from behind her hair, her head resting on her arm, "I'll talk to him, okay, but _only_ if you promise to try and be nice to him."_

"_But Mom, why should I be nice to him if he can't be nice to me!" the five-year-old exclaimed, her head snapping up, face forming a pout as she spoke. _

"_Okay, sweetie, well, I'll yell at him for you –"_

"_No you won't, you like him too much to be nasty to him," Johanna muttered, sighing._

"_Jo, it's only been six months, okay?" Kate said, "Could you please just give him a chance?"_

_Her blue eyes gazed deep into her mother's green ones, her expression softening as a sigh escaped her once again. _

"_I'll try Mommy," she replied quietly, "I promise."_

_Smiling, Kate threw an arm over her daughter's shoulders, squeezing her into her body into hers, emitting a few playful squeals and giggling from the little girl._

"_Ah! Mommy, you're squishing me!"_

"_Oh, but you're just so squishable!"_

"_Mommy!" Johanna gasped, squirming under Kate's arm, laughing quietly along with her once she was released. _

"_Come on, kiddo, bed time!" Kate exclaimed, standing up, wrapping her arms around Johanna's waist and lifting her up, leaving her hanging upside down as she giggled her way to her bedroom. _

_Already in her pajamas, Kate was able to tuck her daughter in quickly and without resistance, leaving her under the covers with Winston the Bear and Shorti the Giraffe before finally meeting Will in the living room. _

_However, the sight she was expecting was not what she got; instead of the usually smiling Will, she was greeted with a solemn looking man, who was gazing up at her sadly._

"_Will, is everything okay?" Kate asked, moving quickly to sit beside him, tucking his hand into hers and squeezing gently. _

"_Kate, uh…" he started, looking at her but avoiding her direct gaze, leaving her worried. He was never this hesitant, only when Johanna was around to be her typical, nosy, five-year-old self. _

"_I'm going to Boston."_

It was not a night Kate was going to forget anytime soon. Not only that, but it proved to her one thing that she probably should have acknowledged earlier. When it came to strangers, Johanna was extremely sensitive to their true colors, a trait Kate wished she'd been the recipient of. Unfortunately, it was something she had missed out on, and, aside from her intensive police training, she was fairly clueless when it came to decoding others.

It was a good thing, really, that Johanna seemed to see through facades and ploys, as she had with Will. From then on, Kate had taken the young girl's opinions seriously, and it had in fact led her in the right direction every time.

As she pulled up at the crime scene once again, she sighed, knowing that the case was going to be twice as grueling now, simply because of the presence of a particular special agent. Stepping out of her car, she let herself smile at one comforting thought; at the end of the day, she'd have her little girl to come home to.

**X X X X X **

**Okie dokie, children; Enjoy!**


	18. Beckett Family Fun Ch18

Puffing her lips out in a sigh, Kate smiled as she pulled up in front of her East Village building. It had been three days since she'd been reunited with her special agent ex-boyfriend, and, in conjunction with the case, had seen those days be emotionally draining.

But tonight, she had something to look forward to; her father had returned from his fishing trip earlier today and had kindly agreed to babysit until the Angela Candela abduction was resolved. Tonight, she would be having a long-time-coming, though well-deserved family dinner.

Although she was exhausted, and would have much preferred a take-out meal in her living room, her Dad insisted on treating 'his girls' to a dinner out. At this point, Kate would take just about any excuse to spend some time with her father and daughter, not to mention Johanna always loved going out for dinner.

Giving a nod to her doorman before boarding the elevator, she let her eyes drift close as the car doors shut then began to move. It had been a long case, with fear of dire consequences like the last time running through her mind the entire time. Then of course there was the continual thoughts of herself in Teresa and Alfred Candela's shoes, with Johanna being the missing child as she fretted and feared for the safety of her little girl.

Thankfully and hopefully, she had not and hoped not to ever endure something like that in regard to her only daughter.

A ding snapped her body upright and eyes open, the doors sliding apart as she stepped through, heading for her door. Keys in hand, she was quick to slip them in the lock, turning them and stepping contently into her little apartment.

"Mom, thank _god_ you're back!" Johanna exclaimed exasperatedly, grasping her mother's hand and dragging her through the loft, Jim chuckling from his vantage point on the couch, "It's a disaster!"

"Why, what's wrong?" Kate asked, half concerned, half amused at her daughter's dramatic tone.

"I have _nothing_ to wear!"

Laughing, Kate shook her head, rolling her eyes with Jim before she was pulled into Johanna's room. Sure enough, the little brunette had spent almost all afternoon deciding what to wear, with clothes sprawled all over the bed haphazardly, drawers half open and shoes scattering the floor.

"You do know you'll have to put all of this away again, right?" Kate asked, noting that the wardrobe was now only half-full.

"Yes, Mom, I know, but I need clothes!" Johanna cried, throwing her arms into the air and flopping on the only empty space on her bed in despair.

"Sweetie, you have plenty of clothes –"

"But I don't wanna wear any of them!" Johanna sulked, sitting up and sighing, shying away at the glare from her mother.

"Jo, don't be a brat, okay?" Kate said, pulling a pair of jeans off the bed to lay them over the desk chair, "Now, put your jeans on."

"Do I have to wear jeans?" Johanna asked, trying her very hardest to keep any hint of whining out of her tone, which she seemed to do, for her mother didn't comment, only answered her question.

"It's cold out," her mother replied simply, walking from the chest back to the bed, laying out a white t-shirt with blue and green patterns just near where her daughter was pulling on her jeans. As Johanna changed, Kate began to replace the clothes on the bed in the wardrobe, making quick work out of the seemingly worse bundles of clothes.

As she placed a few hangers on the rail, Kate pulled out a light blue sweater, tossing it onto the bed, followed by a white-washed denim jacket, one that Johanna had dubbed her 'best jacket'.

"Jo, sweetie, do you want boots or sneakers?" she called, before turning to the umming presence to her left.

"Uh, boots," Johanna murmured, pointing at the pair of beige, suede-like boots on the floor. Sometimes, Kate had to give the girl a hand; the color of the boots matched perfectly to the stitching of her jeans, something she was sure was figured out long ago.

"Okay, well, put them on then go hang with Grandpa for a little while," Kate said, "I'm gonna get dressed."

Leaving with a kiss on Johanna's head, Kate began to untie her coat, reaching her chest of drawers just as she reached for her gun and holster. Removing her badge from her waistband first, she pulled open the top drawer, placing it neatly in the bottom left corner, before moving on to the gun and holster.

"Mom?"

Mass panic hit her as she heard her daughter approaching, her hand frozen around the gun's barrel.

"Jo, stop where you are," Kate commanded, stepping a little to the side so the complete view of the drawer and its soon-to-be contents were hidden.

"But why, Mom –"

"Just, don't move for a sec," she interjected hurriedly, switching the safety on and placing it in the drawer, pushing it closed with a thud. The minute it was shut, she felt the tension escape her for the moment, turning to see Johanna staring at her, holding a hair elastic and a brush.

"Can you put my hair in a French braid, Mom?" she asked, the near confrontation with her mother's weapon passing almost as quickly as it came.

Walking over, Kate took the items from her daughter, a hand reaching to tousle the ends of her wavy brown locks.

"You know, I think it looks prettier like this," Kate said, running her fingers down until each strand had left her touch, before standing up and handing the brush and elastic over again. Grinning, Johanna wordlessly acknowledged, walking out of the room, a hand on the section of hair her Mom had just been caressing lightly.

**X X X X X**

"Jo, sweetie, hold my hand," Kate urged, her fingers clutching those of her daughter's as they wandered down the bustling New York streets. Johanna obliged, keeping to her mother's hip at all times as they followed Jim to the restaurant they were intending to eat at. It was a small Italian place, the owners of which the senior Beckett had become quite close friends with when he was in his early twenties. Since then, had they felt the desire for Italian, this was their one-stop restaurant.

"Mom, are we almost there?" Johanna asked, the three stopping at traffic lights, waiting and watching, the young girl grimacing at a foul stench somewhere nearby and trying eagerly to block out the angry Arabic man just beside her. She felt her mother's touch change, the hand that was in hers moving to cling to her shoulder, the opposite hand now taking the one from a second ago.

Johanna had always deduced her mother was unnecessarily clingy and fearful when they were out, particularly at busy times like this. Still, Kate could not be blamed; New York, although beautiful, could be and was dangerous. She was not about to let her little girl get swallowed up by the city.

"Yeah, kiddo, we're nearly there!" Jim replied excitedly, crossing the street with a spring in his step, whistling with a giggling Johanna and smiling Kate following him. As they reached the sidewalk, they made a left turn, a street down which Johanna could see the tiny, neon-lit sign for their evening's festivities.

"I see it, Mom!" she exclaimed, smiling at the thought of walking in, greeting Lucia and Tomaso, ordering her favorite 'Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola' then Tiramisu for dessert. Making their way closer, Kate could feel her daughter's excitement climbing the bigger the sign became, Jim once again remaining silently amused.

Reaching the open door, you could smell, hear and see all the things that made the Becketts regular customers at the little restaurant. It was a family business, with all the sons and daughters working as cooks or waiters, while Lucia walked in and out, talking to customers and constantly changing the décor. Tomaso's bellowing laughter was always heard throughout, sharing a joke with either his family or the guests.

Stepping inside with pleasure, Johanna was greeted with a beaming Lucia, arms out in preparation to envelop the girl in a hug.

"Johanna! Ah, mi ragazza bella!" she gushed, bending down to plant a kiss on each cheek, the young girl returning the favor before replying in carefully practiced Italian.

"Buonasera Lucia!"

"Ah, si, buonasera familia Beckett!" Tomaso cried, moving to shake Jim's hand vigorously, as Lucia moved on to welcome Kate.

"Signorina Johanna, I hope you be good girl for Mamma," Lucia began, her attention back on the nine-year-old, "Isabella make most delicious tiramisu today for knowing you would come!"

Isabella was Lucia and Tomaso's youngest daughter at eighteen years old, and she'd grown a soft spot for the youngest Beckett a long time ago.

"I'll tell her a big thank you when I see her!" Johanna exclaimed, her company grinning as they were led to their table. It was busier here tonight, not that it mattered; it was always loud in here, no matter who was in. Taking their seats as Jim continued to converse with Tomaso, Kate pulled her pocket mirror out to give herself a quick check over, knowing that not much could have changed since they left her apartment half an hour ago.

Still, as Johanna would say, in New York, you could meet _anybody_ on the street.

"Detective Beckett, what a surprise!"

Or, as it turns out, as Kate cautiously turned at the annoyingly familiar voice, you could meet them in a restaurant too.

"Castle!"

**X X X X X**

**Just to make their night a little more interesting! As always, read and review!**

**Kayla x**

**P.S. For those who also read **_**The Way It Should Have Been**_**, never fear, it is not forgotten, simply devious; it just does NOT want to be written!**


	19. A Night Out With The Castles Ch19

"Mom, Grandpa got us – oh, hey Castle!"

Kate was still stunned into silence, both at the surprise presence in the small restaurant as well as the calm tone of her daughter.

"Hey, Jo," he started with a smile, "I didn't know you could speak Italian?"

"Little Johanna? Ah, she beautiful speaker!" Lucia exclaimed, "She talk better Italian than you, Signor Castle!"

The chuckling from all three surrounding her snapped Kate out of her little reverie, looking from her smiling child to her new company.

"Hey, Mom, can Castle sit with us?" Johanna asked, her small hand squeezing that of her mother's, Kate's brow furrowing intensely as she stuttered.

"Uh, I don't – uh…"

"I'd love to," Castle said finally, a grin on his face before his eyes fell on Jim, who was eyeing the interaction curiously, "that is, of course, if it's okay with Mr. Beckett."

Jim stood at his address, his eyes having been set on the interaction for some time. Walking over, he came up beside his granddaughter, flashing her a quick grin before extending his hand to Castle.

"Please, call me Jim," he began, releasing the writer's hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Castle. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about you from my girls."

"Dad."

Kate's cheeks flashed a mean scarlet as she dropped her head, narrowing her eyes momentarily at a giggling Johanna.

"Please, Jim, call me Rick," the mystery writer added, "and likewise. Your daughter and granddaughter talk nothing but highly of you."

"Well, that's good to know," Jim said, chuckling, a hand falling on Johanna's shoulder, her head falling into the fold of his jacket, "shall we take our seats?"

"What about Alexis and Martha?" Johanna exclaimed, "They're not here yet!"

"Ah, Signor Castle, you will be joining Signor and Signorine Beckett?" Lucia asked, bustling over to push tables together, not waiting for a reply, "I bring the usual?"

Castle leant in and quietly murmured something to Lucia, something that left a giddy and knowing grin on her face, before she gave the group at the table one more look and headed back to the kitchen, barking orders in Italian.

Returning his attention to the Becketts, Castle slowly guided Kate and Johanna back to the table, where Jim had already taken his seat.

"Castle, you'll never guess what my new assignment is at school," Johanna began, unperturbed as she clambered onto her seat. She continued on her tangent, not noticing as Castle gently pulled out Kate's chair, her eyes falling yet again, a schoolgirl smile finding its way across her lips.

"We're learning about different types of books, like comedy, romance…mystery!"

"Ooh, I'll bet you can guess which my favorite is!" Castle exclaimed, taking his own place on the other side of Kate, an empty seat to his right, the youngest Beckett sitting opposite him beside Jim.

"Well _duh_!" Johanna continued, "But now that we've learned all of them, we have to write a short story about one of them."

"And, which one are you choosing, Jo?" Jim asked, peering over from his menu, grinning as he watched his granddaughter gently push hers away.

Johanna's eyes flicked to Castle momentarily, her cheeks turning a gentle shade of pink. Still, the youngster didn't strike Castle as the nervous kind, and this was affirmed when she continued.

"Mystery!" she cried, causing the table to grin and chuckle quietly, before a familiar voice began to make its way toward them.

"Oh, I see we have company this evening, Richard!" Martha exclaimed, making her way, all smiles, toward the table, Alexis following close behind. The young redhead smiled exuberantly when she saw the excitement in Johanna's eyes at her presence.

"Alexis!" she exclaimed, before tapping the chair beside her gently, "You can sit here!"

"Ah, Jim, this is my mother, Martha," Castle began, gesturing to the elegant older woman, who graciously took Jim's hand. They added they're 'nice to meet you's' before Castle turned to Alexis, who was whispering quietly with Johanna.

"And this is my daughter, Alexis," he finished with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jim added, as Kate gave a small wave in the direction of the teenager, before she resumed her quiet conversation with Johanna.

**X X X X X**

As awkward as the dinner had seemed at Castle's first appearance, Kate relished in the knowledge that it had actually become one of her most enjoyed nights in a while. Not just because Johanna was ecstatic about seeing Alexis again. Not because her father enjoyed noticing the little…differences in the way she and Caste interacted. Martha's endless innuendoes, and, of course, Lucia's blunt yet honest opinions.

The party of six were headed back in the direction of Castle's apartment, an invite that had come close to the end of dinner, when Johanna had insisted Alexis try the specially made tiramisu.

"_I don't know, Castle," Kate had begun, before Jim sighed, interrupting her._

"_Come on, Katie, if you're worried about Jo, it's a Saturday night," her father reasoned, "it's not like she has school tomorrow."_

"_Yeah Mom!" Johanna played, grinning cheekily, pushing her empty bowl away with a satisfied sigh. _

"_And the Captain gave you tomorrow off," Castle reinstated, looking between the insistent looks of her father, daughter and partner, before she rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat. _

"_Okay, sure," Kate added in a mocking, playful tone, "We'd love to join you."_

After Castle had reveled in his first momentary triumph, he had insisted on paying the bill, whipping it from everyone's grasp and running off to pay it before Jim or Kate could even begin to argue.

Pausing at a set of traffic lights, Jim moved up beside Kate, who was watching Johanna converse animatedly with Castle and Alexis. It warmed her on this cold night just watching her daughter smile, hearing her laugh, watching the pink attach to her cheeks.

"You know, Katie," Jim began, "that Mr. Castle is quite the gentleman."

"Dad!" Kate exclaimed quietly, his knowing look directed her way just as Martha caught up after taking a quick call.

"Oh, goodness, I'll be glad to be inside again," she muttered, shrugging further into her coat, "I thought it was meant to be getting warmer?"

"Ugh, don't worry, I've been hearing the same complaints from Jo," Kate added, laughing to herself as they headed across the street.

"Yes, I can imagine a young girl's wishes for the summer," Martha replied, "Alexis was the same, all she wanted to do was go to the beach every weekend."

"Jo likes going to the park," Kate began, her father on her left, Martha on her right, "she loves to climb trees. And fall out of them."

Adding the last par with a communal chuckle, she watched up ahead as Castle led the girls into the lobby of a building, Kate knowing it was Castle's.

"This is your place?" Jim asked in disbelief, directing his question to Martha as they headed in the glass doors. Kate didn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation, walking a little faster to catch up to the trio waiting for the elevator. Johanna stood in the middle all three pairs of blue eyes on the elevator doors.

Reaching out, she gave a gentle squeeze to her daughter's sides, causing her to squeal in surprise, before giggling quietly, grappling for the hands holding her.

"Mom, let go!" she cried, laughing, as the hands left her sides and rested on her shoulders.

"Nice of you to join us, Beckett," Castle added, grinning, leaving her eyes rolling as the elevator dinged. Behind her, she could hear her father still conversing with Castle's mother.

"Looks like our parents are hitting it off," he muttered, a mix of amusement and annoyance in his tone. Smirking, Kate simply nudged Johanna in the direction of the now sliding elevator doors, Alexis stepping on beside them, Castle following along with Martha and Jim.

"You know Grandpa, you're gonna love Castle's apartment," Johanna began, turning to the older man behind her, "it's _awesome_!"

"I don't doubt it is, Jo," Jim said, grinning in her direction, as a ding sounded and they all piled out.

"_Aaaaaaand_," Johanna continued, looking to a winking Castle, "Castle makes the _best_ hot chocolate!"

**X X X X X**

**Heya, so, sorry for not going into the dinner, I had plans for the time at Castle's, which I still have, but I also have work, so uh, yeah, that will be next chapter! **

**Read! Review! **

**Kayla x**


	20. Casa de la Castle  Ch20

"You have quite the apartment, Rick," Jim gushed, standing off toward the door of the study, watching Kate, Johanna, Martha and Alexis on the couch nearby.

After educating them on how to make a Castle hot chocolate, they had convened in the living room for a 'girl talk' session. At least, that's what Castle had dubbed it as, since whenever he dared to eavesdrop, he got the evil eye from both Johanna and Alexis.

"Why thank you, Jim," Castle replied, "you and your girls are welcome any time."

"Katie's been here for a poker night before," Jim explained, Castle nodding in affirmation, "I had Jo for the night and she was sulky about not being able to go."

"Ah, yes, Miss Johanna and my Alexis seemed to hit it off the minute they met," Castle added, "They bonded over _To Kill a Mockingbird_."

Smiling with a nod, Jim took a sip from the glass in his hand, peering over at the laughing girls with amusement, his eye meeting Kate's for a second before she looked back to her daughter.

"I'll tell you, Rick, Alexis is a wonderful girl," he said, "You've done a good job with that young lady."

"Why thank you, Jim," Castle replied, his eyes scanning over Jim's suddenly solemn expression. He seemed to fidget a lot more, gazing at his feet, clearing his throat. With a sigh, he looked back over to the girls convening on the couch. Martha had since retired, unbeknownst to Jim and Castle, leaving Johanna, Alexis and Kate talking quietly amongst themselves.

Castle could tell Jim was reminiscing; watching Johanna and Alexis conversing much like his own two daughters would have done in their youth, Kate watching on as the motherly figure. The image would be difficult for the older man, confronting in a way, as Johanna and Alexis had a similar age gap to the two Beckett sisters.

"I tell you though, little Johanna, god, she reminds me of my wife and second daughter," Jim mused, shaking his head gently with a small smile, "those two were clones, even more so than Katie."

"I take it all your girls were very close," Castle added, hoping to tread lightly.

"Yes, yes, they were practically joined at the hand," the older Beckett chuckled, "But that's not to say they didn't have their fair share of fights."

"Well, knowing how much Kate loves to be right, I can imagine," Castle added with a similar laugh, which was joined by a raised eyebrow from Jim.

"They were identical, those two girls," Jim mused, looking over once again at his daughter, "they could spend two hours arguing whether the sky was blue. It didn't matter if they were wrong, they'd keep going until they found something else to argue about."

"I can't imagine Kate would have taken kindly to losing," Castle added with a grin, as a voice startled him from his left.

"What am I losing?" Kate said, appearing suddenly beside Castle, dangerously close in his opinion. He could smell her shampoo from here…

"Oh, we're just discussing sibling rivalry," Jim added, chuckling, "and that you and Abi took the cake for it."

"Did we ever!" Kate agreed, smiling brightly, her eyes falling, glistening a little as they went. Castle noticed the change in her demeanor immediately; the young girl inside was still torn up about losing her baby sister.

"But you were closer than conjoined twins," Jim continued, "I remember being subjected to Belinda Carlisle and Laura Branigan every time you girls got let loose in the kitchen."

"Really?"

"Well, Castle, you can't bake without banging 80's tunes!" Kate laughed, giving a cautionary glare toward her father, the older man clearing his throat with a glint in his eye before he nodded once, heading for the couch where the girls sat.

"So, were you one of the fluoro and fuzzy 80's gals or were you more of a rock chick?" Castle added playfully, grinning as he took a sip from his glass, his gaze set on an equally playful Kate.

"I was the rocker," she explained, smiling to herself, opening her mouth in an instance to speak, then closing it again, her face falling momentarily, eyes drifting off.

"But, uh, you know, fluoro colors worked sometimes too," Kate added, a curt smile, followed by a sympathetic look from Castle.

"It's okay to miss your sister, you know," he began, green eyes lifting to him, astounded, at what, Castle wasn't too sure, "and to wonder what happened. Where she is now –"

"She's gone, Castle," Kate interjected, her gaze forceful, steely, "Just like my mother, I've accepted she's not coming back."

"But you don't know that –"

"Yes, Castle, I do!" she exclaimed, "Because if she were coming back, she'd be home by now."

"Kate, you work with the police," Castle continued, despite his companion's dejected, teary eyes, "you _know_ you could find her if you wanted to. _We_ could, together. Things might have changed –"

"Castle," she cut in, after finally regaining composure, "Abi and my Mom are gone. I'd like you to respect that."

He watched as the brunette walked purposefully toward the couch, Johanna's eyes having been glancing progressively more often toward the other two adults in the room for some time now. Almost as if expecting it, or else being a mind reader, Johanna began to slowly gather herself from the couch and stand, Jim looking up to his daughter at the same time.

The oldest Beckett let a hand hover on Kate's arm for a moment, before Castle watched the two young girls embrace momentarily, before Johanna started for the door. Kate followed closely, waving with a smile at Alexis before turning her gaze to Castle, a moment's look before she glanced away again.

"Well, it was a pleasure to finally meet you, Rick," Jim said, shaking his host's hand vigorously, "I'm sure I'll hear many a great story to come about you."

"Don't doubt it for a second, Jim!"

**X X X X X**

**Okay, I know, intensely short, and my apologies. That does, however, bring an end to the Season 1 Chapters! But, never fear, I have **_**not**_** forgotten the ever-important snooping of Castle in regard to JB's murder. Though, instead of actually writing it (cos it goes down in much the same manner as it does on TV) I'm going to write the reaction. Also, since it's following the same timeline, unless it's specified or written around/left out, everything happens the same, so it is okay to assume that Will did get shot, cos he did. But, cos Johanna doesn't really care too much for him, nor do, though that's not to say he won't make on final appearance in the interim between S1 and S2 of **_**The Little Things**_** ;) Oh, me and my shenanigans! **

**Kayla x**


	21. Alexis' New Friend Ch21

**Piece of advice before I start this chapter; the unveiling of Castle's personal investigation into JB's murder happens **_**exactly**_** as it does in the show. Because of this fact, I feel no obligation to write it, as you already know what happens. So this chapter is going to pick up sometime amongst the first few episodes of S2, hopefully in some sort of chronological order. Oh, and also, we're starting with a piece with Alexis and a new character (:**

**X X X X X**

The doorbell chimed just as Alexis reached the bottom of the stairs. Checking her watch, she smiled, the punctuality of her guest reassuring her. She gave a once over to the room, making sure everything was in its proper or seemingly proper place, before she headed to answer the door.

Pulling it open, she was met with the image of a tall, brunette woman, no older than her mid-twenties. Her eyes were a dark hazel, her hair twisted into a braid that lay down her shoulder, her expression warm and sparkling.

"Hi, I'm Abigail Winters," she began, holding a hand out to the younger girl, "you must be Alexis."

"Yeah, that's me," the redhead replied, accepting the handshake before she stepped aside, allowing her guest to enter, her mouth slightly gaping at the loft in front of her.

However, Abi didn't allow this to captivate her, before she turned back to Alexis.

"Sorry if I'm too early," she said, "I thought it would take longer to walk than it did."

"Oh, it's fine," Alexis began, before her expression became quizzical, "You walked here?"

Abi gave a quick nod with a smile, "I'm not as fit as I should be, and I only live a few blocks south."

"Right," the young girl added, heading over to the kitchen island, "well, thanks for coming, Ms. Winters –"

"Please, sweetie, call me Abi," the older woman interjected, a hand resting on Alexis' shoulder gently, "I'm just your tutor, not your teacher."

An awkward smile adorned the redhead's face, before she turned to the closed textbooks that lay in front of her, Abi taking a seat beside her. Reaching for the notebook in her bag, she took the opportunity to take another quick survey of her surroundings. True, this house was nice, _very_ nice, and it seriously rivaled her own duplex in Chelsea.

"Your apartment is fantastic by the way," Abi complimented, "so big and spacious, but it's so…cozy at the same time!"

She had noticed the homely touches that were everything but extravagant, the tell that it was a broken yet close family. Somehow, Abi drew parallels to her own misadventures when it came to family, but she had been lucky enough to go through most of her life with two parents and the family Labrador.

Alexis gave a slightly easier laugh, the discomfort sliding from the situation easily, "Thanks."

A broad grin later, and Abi was flipping open her pad and diving right into things.

"So, miss Alexis, what exactly is it that you want tutoring for?" Abi asked, "Because when I took a look at the results you e-mailed over, I was kinda getting this straight-A student vibe."

Looking sideways at a blushing Alexis, a glint in her eye and a grin on her face, Abi watched the teenager muse for a moment before she replied.

"I don't need tutoring because I'm not good at my classes," Alexis began, Abi nodding as she spoke, "it's more like I need it to help my actual studying."

"Like exam prep or something?" Abi questioned, eliciting a nod.

"Yeah, I tend to study unhealthily – like, sitting at my desk with the lamp on until the wee hours of the morning so I can cram as much into my head to be as prepared as possible," Alexis explained, as Abi gave a smirk in reply.

"So study techniques, bigger storage space and more hours in a day?"

The young girl chuckled, the awkwardness all but dissipating as she watched Abi reach for her pen.

"Oh, did you want to swap sides?" Alexis asked, "I'm left-handed, we might bump elbows."

With a grin, Abi simply watched the smile spread as she uncapped her pen and began writing, the few lines slanted in only a way a left-hander could master.

"Not going to be an issue, I don't think," Abi added, chuckling as she continued to write.

"Okay, kiddo, let's get down to business!"

**X X X X X**

Sitting at her desk, Alexis was scrawling highlighted words from a textbook onto Post-It notes as a knock sounded at her bedroom door.

"Hey, Pumpkin, good day?" Castle began, taking a seat on the edge of the white sheeted queen bed.

"Yeah, it was," Alexis began, dotting the end of her sentence before she turned to her father, "how about you?"

Castle shrugged, "Dead guy, someone killed him, we caught him then sent him to jail."

"Oh, so just your average day then?"

With a nod, Castle grinned then glanced at the notes on his daughter's desk. There seemed to be more than before, but they were more interesting; bright colored paper and markers, books with about five different highlighted sections in just as many shades.

"Colorful enough for you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as Alexis took in a breath to explain.

"It's a new study technique," she began, "I did some games with my tutor –"

"Wait, tutor?" Castle interjected, "Since when do you need a tutor?"

"To help with my studying," Alexis replied irritably, "you know how unorthodox my study habits are."

"Yes, but it's the one thing that makes you a Castle," he argued, smirking at Alexis' rolling eyes as she continued.

"But I want them to be better so I don't have to worry so much about falling asleep in my tests," she continued, "So we did some things and figured out I remember things I associate with color."

Castle nodded slowly in gradual understanding, his eyes flicking over the various colors adorning his daughter's work area.

"So you decided to turn your desk into the Rainbow Road to the Wizard of A's?" he said, laughing at his own joke as he stood slowly, Alexis following. They began to head slowly out into the hall then down the stairs, the conversation not pausing for many moments.

"Well, I take it you like your new tutor," Castle added, an arm curling around the young girl's shoulders, their pace slow as they headed to the lower level.

"Yeah, she's really nice," Alexis began, "her name's Abigail Winters. She's 22 and she's in the FBI."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"That's so cool!"

"And she's really smart, even though she never went to college –"

"Wait, she what?" Castle interrupted, his tone changing from childish to concerned, "Sweetie, are you sure it's beneficial to have a tutor who is only six years younger than you and never went to college?"

Taking her place at the kitchen island while her father began organizing food, Alexis was quick to defend.

"Well, she started but dropped out because she wanted to be a special agent," she explained, "she wanted to do something other than sit behind a desk and argue all day."

"I guess that's fair, but still," Castle continued, his tone still demeaning as he sauntered about the kitchen, "I think I should meet this young woman."

"She invited me out to coffee for a study date after school next week," Alexis started, "I have a revision quiz for one of my classes she's going to help me prepare for – you could meet her then."

"That sounds like a great idea, but you know what else sounds good?" he asked, his manner changing back to the adolescence it was before.

Shaking her head, Alexis began to grin at the excitable look on her father's face; in instances like these, it usually meant some wild idea was flowing through his head at an unmistakable speed.

"Microwave popcorn!"

**X X X X X**

Abi sighed as she headed into her apartment that evening. Reflecting on the day, it had been long, jumbled and tiring. There was nothing more she wanted right now than a warm bath, a good book and then her comfy old bed.

But first, she had to ring Barb.

Taking the handset from the kitchen counter, she kicked off her shoes as she dialed her old landline up in Rockland, listening to the dial tone as she flicked on the muted television.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Barb!"

"_Abigail, darling, how are you?" asked Barb, the phone squished between her ear and shoulder as she wiped the flour from her hands to better grasp the phone_.

"Goodie gumdrops, I'd say," Abi began, "but it's been a long, cantankerous one this darn day. It just won't end!"

_Chuckling, Barb shook her head absent-mindedly at the young girl, "Let me guess, bath, book and bed?"_

"You know me too well."

"_I only raised you!"_

"Since I was a wee little pre-teen with gangly legs and too long hair!"

Sharing a quick moment of laughter, Abi stood, flicking off the television as she headed for the bedroom. It was still early, only 8:30pm, but she felt as though she'd been awake for _days_. Oh wait, she kind of had.

"_Is that case you're working nearly done?" Barb asked, wandering aimlessly about the living room of her house, gazing out the window at the only street light that worked. _

"No, but we have no leads," Abi explained, the frustration evident in her voice, "and it's not getting any easier the longer it drags on."

"_Don't worry, sweetie, you'll catch this guy."_

"God, I hope so."

"_Well get some rest, silly!" Barb chortled, "If you're anything like you were to get up for school, you should have been in bed hours ago!"_

"I think my tutoree may have been less than impressed if I'd curled up on her couch to nap," Abi added, her smile from a second ago spreading into laughter, "but it was a pretty tempting idea."

"_Of course, you started tutoring that young girl, what was her name? Uh, Alexis, was it?"_

"Yeah, Alexis," Abi mused, pulling her hair from its braid and dragging her pajamas from under her pillow, "she's a really great kid. Kinda reminds me of me when I was almost 16."

"_God help you!"_

"Hey!"

"_I tell only truth!"_

"Lies!"

"_Never!"_

"Always!"

"_Oh shush you!"_

"Never!"

"_Go to bed, sleepyhead!"_

"And don't forget your good friend Ted!"

"_Hmm, yes, Ted is looking a little lonely these days," Barb added, chuckling as she moved from the window and made for the stairs, "so is Dale, I think he needs someone to take him to the baseball."_

"Ooh, challenge accepted!" Abi exclaimed, laughing exuberantly, "I just don't know when, what with work and tutoring and Josh and…"

"_Sweetie, you need some daddy-daughter time."_

Abi felt her breath hitch for moment, the sensation as odd as it was audible.

"_Okay, sorry, poor choice of words, but you know what I mean," Barb said, "you two were crazy close, and he's not been right with you since you came home-"_

"Barb, it was a one in a million thing," Abi reiterated, "he needs to accept that what happened happened, and this is what I do."

"_Doesn't mean he's going to like it," Barb added, "and with that baseball date, don't worry about Cris, I can have him for the day –"_

"Barb, I can't expect you to always step in like that –"

"_He calls me Nana, how could I turn away adorableness like that?"_

"It's because you give him treats all the time!"

"_Isn't that the staple of grandparent duties?" Barb added, smirking to herself, "Besides, it's interesting to watch you cope with the aftermath of a two year old on a sugar rush."_

"You sound like his pre-school teacher!"

"_Isn't it past your bed time?"_

"Nope, but it's past yours!"

"_That it is!" Barb said, chuckling, "Well look, good luck with work and don't lead that young Alexis astray, will you."_

"I would never do such a thing!" Abi conceded, playful hurt emitting through her tone, "I'm a charming young lady!"

"_Sometimes," Barb agreed, "but in all honesty, I think you'd make a great role model for any young girl. And I mean that, Abigail."_

A moment of silence erupted, so loud it was deafening to Abi and caused all her movement to cease for the moment.

"Well, I have you to thank for the influence, I suppose," Abi added awkwardly, leaving her room to switch off the apartment lights and leave out a note for Josh.

"_I can only take half the credit."_

"Barb."

"_Yes, alright, sorry sweetheart," Barb apologized, "I'll talk to you tomorrow night?"_

"Of course," Abi agreed, returning to her room, "Talk then."

"_Good night, Abigail."_

"Night."

The dial tone sounded as Abi lowered the receiver to stare into it for a moment. The nightly ritual of calling Barb had resulted in an unplanned yet inescapable second one that she couldn't bear to part with. With no one around to hear, and the end call button firmly pressed, the young woman sighed as she held onto the phone, climbing timidly into bed fully clothed like she often did. Giving the offensive contraption one last look, she sighed, placing it down and staring for one moment more before she switched off the lamp.

"I love you, Mom."

**X X X X X**

**So, Beckett-less chapter (more difficult than I ever thought it could be!). But, I hope you enjoyed the Alexis scenes, as well as the new character. Of course, every character has their past and problems, so I hope you all have wonderful questions and insights to leave me in reviews about Miss Abigail Winters!**

**Kayla x**

**P.s. if it's an epiphany about character, and you feel it inappropriate to leave in a review, just PM me, I always answer (:**


	22. This Is What I Want Ch22

**I had a free moment between classes, so here I am writing! If I start blurting in Italian, forgive me, that's the class I just had! (Verb conjugations, how fun!)**

**X X X X X**

"_Mom, are you gonna be home tonight?" Johanna asked, her hands fiddling oh so carefully with the frayed edge of her pajama pants._

"No, sweetie, I just got a case," Kate replied with a sigh, checking her watch as she strode into the elevator, Castle following fairly close behind.

"_But it's like, nine o'clock!" the young girl whined, her grandfather chuckling quietly to himself from the kitchen of his apartment, "Who would be finding bodies for you now?"_

"We live in New York, Jo, you should be used to it," Kate muttered, an amused smile adorning her face as a frustrated sigh sounded through the receiver.

"_Doesn't mean I like it," Johanna groaned, moving from the sofa into the dining room, the table still covered with her exercise books from school, "so will you be able to help me with my project?"_

Biting her lip, Kate paused momentarily, feeling the disappointment in the silence.

"I don't think so, sweetie," she said solemnly, "I've got a feeling this is going to be a tough one."

"_Maybe I should be helping you instead," Johanna interjected, grinning to herself as she began to pack up her work, her exhaustion sinking in._

"You know, maybe you should, Castle's too busy playing Angry Birds –"

"Nope, Slot Car!"

"Oh, sorry, Slot Car," Kate corrected, laughing with her daughter on the other line.

"_Why is he even still around, anyways?" Johanna asked as the laughter died down, "I thought you told him not to come back?"_

"It's…it's complicated," she stuttered.

"_Can't be _that_ complicated or he wouldn't still be following you around," Johanna stated, "seriously, Mom, if it were anyone else you would have used them as a human punching bag, why is Castle so different?"_

"I think it's past your bedtime –"

"_It's not a school night, I don't go to bed 'til ten," she corrected, "so tell me, Mom, why do you keep Castle around?" _

_There was a glint in her eye which was met with that of her grandfather's when she gazed his direction. She could hear her mother getting flustered on the other end, a fact that made Johanna amused._

"You are so grounded."

"_But I make a good point."_

"An invalid point."

"_I don't think so."_

"I do."

"_Come on, Mom, don't be so stubborn!" Johanna cried, emitting a smirk from a nearby Jim, "Why can't you just admit it?"_

"Johanna, go to bed. Now!"

"_Mom, please –"_

"I have work to do, I'll see you tomorrow –"

"_Fine, good night."_

"Night sweetie, I love you."

"_Love you too."_

Ending the call, Kate huffed as she shoved her cell in her jeans pocket.

"You getting beaten up by your daughter again?" Castle asked nonchalantly, his phone still captivating most of his attention.

"Shut up, Castle!"

**X X X X X**

"So, speaking of daughters, how's yours?" Kate asked Castle, their car ride so far silent as they rode to the crime scene.

"Oh, she's just her usual, charming self," Castle explained, "she gets that from me."

Looking sideways with a grin, he saw his partner roll her eyes momentarily with a smirk of her own as he continued.

"She's got a new tutor though, a young FBI agent I'm yet to meet," he added.

"Alexis has a tutor?" Kate asked, confused; she didn't seem like the type to need a tutor.

"Yeah, she frowns upon her very Castle-esque study techniques –"

"Oh, you mean procrastination that leads to cramming?" Kate interrupted, "She doesn't seem like she'd be the kind of girl to do that."

"She's does that as well as weeks of preparation," Castle said, "she just gets worried she won't remember it."

"I can understand that," Kate said, "I used to be the same, so everything was highlighted or color-coded."

"Yeah, that's what her tutor taught her," Castle explained, "must be some ground-breaking technique."

"What did you say this woman's name was?" Kate asked.

"Oh, I didn't, it's Abigail Winters, she's from Rockland so Alexis tells me, only moved to the city a few years ago," Castle began, "She's 22 and a recently graduated FBI agent –"

"She's 22?" Kate cut in, raising an eyebrow, "She must be something if the FBI has already claimed her."

"Hmm, she never went to college either," Castle speculated, "which is even weirder."

"And she's a tutor?"

"I'm meeting her on Wednesday to ensure she's not a total psycho," Castle explained, "I mean, I trust Alexis' judgment, but still, with info like that…"

Kate shook her head. What sort of person could manage to get in the FBI without a college degree and at the age of 22? Heck, the girl should probably still be in college, never mind trying to tutor high school kids like Alexis. It sounded like a load of bull to Kate.

"Ask to see her badge when you meet her," Kate instructed, "if she gets squirrelly, she's a fake, but if she's a legitimate agent, she'll show you, no questions asked."

"Maybe she was part of an undercover operation to obtain nuclear launch codes from an international agent posing as a high school student and they were so impressed by her ninja-like skills they recruited her…"

"Really?" Kate muttered after a moment, "You're already spouting romanticized theories after we've just finished condemning her?"

"Well, there's gotta be _some_ reason, -"

"Yeah, either she's a fraud or some other extenuating circumstance."

"Touché."

There was a moment of silent thought, Kate's brow furrowing as she thought. It _had_ to be a coincidence; the girl had only moved to the city a few years ago, and _she_ had grown up here until…

But her name was – no, it couldn't be the same one. Abigail was a common name, as was Beckett, so even if she were to find another Abigail Beckett, the chances of it being the same one were…remote.

"You said her name was Abigail?" Kate asked, Castle offering a silent nod, though still not paying much attention. And her age was…eerie. If _her_ Abigail were around, she would be 22, soon to be 23…

"And she's 22?"

Castle looked to the detective this time, her quizzical and troubled look causing him some concern.

"Are you thinking –"

"No, it's absolutely ridiculous," she asserted, both for him and herself.

"Yeah, of course," Castle agreed, "I mean, Abigail isn't the strangest name out there, more than a hundred women could have that name in New York –"

"Castle, it's not her, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, sure."

**X X X X X**

"Oh, come on, baby, please, stop crying!"

Abi stood in the lower floor of her Chelsea apartment, hair frazzled, donning sweatpants and a hoodie with a screaming two-year-old clinging to her. The young boy was hysterical, inconsolable, and Abi felt as though she were nearly there herself when the clicking of the front door caused her to sigh in relief.

"Oh, Josh, thank god you're home!" she gushed, walking from the bedroom and into the downstairs living room, revealing her equally exhausted boyfriend.

"Hello to you too," he murmured sleepily, before the cries of young Cris erupted again.

"He's been like this since he woke up at 3," Abi explained, Josh reaching out to take the boy from his mother's arms, "I've tried _everything_."

As if a switch had been flicked, the minute Cris was in the significantly larger arms of Josh, he fell near silent, breathing evening as he began to lull into sleep.

"I should have known that child was a daddy's boy," Abi murmured, the sight spreading a warm smile across her ragged and exhausted face.

"It's a guy thing," Josh reasoned with a grin, leaning down to leave a quick, yet no less meaningful kiss on Abi's lips.

"Yeah, okay then," Abi said with a sigh, "I'm not fussy, I just want to sleep tonight. It's been a while."

"Hmm, ditto," Josh agreed quietly, slowly making his way back to the young boy's bedroom, Abi following closely, pausing to lean against the door frame. The feeling she got when she watched Josh with Cris was…indescribable. Her two boys were everything to her; she couldn't imagine a world without either of them.

Quietly, Josh padded his way over to her, switching the light off as he went, Abi moving aside to pull the door gently shut, leaving their son to dream. They made their way slowly up the nearby stairs to the upper floor, Josh's arm curled around Abi's waist. She let her head fall onto his shoulder, a tired sigh leaving her as they reached the top of the flight, turning left into the dining room, following it through to the living room.

Josh wandered into the bedroom, while Abi remained in the living room, flicking through the still muted television from earlier. The kids channel had stopped airing at this time of night, and even if it hadn't, she wasn't sure it would tickle her fancy. She let her mind wander to other things they hadn't had time to think of in the last few days. The case she'd just finished had been long and tiring, and had found its way into her mind constantly.

"You okay?"

Abi snapped from her reverie to look up at Josh, and to find she was ravaging her bottom lip. Her hazel eyes were big and thoughtful, her brown hair still frazzled and accentuating her tiresome face.

"Oh, yeah, just thinking about…stuff," she murmured, running a hand gently through her hair as Josh took a seat beside her.

"Thinking about stuff, huh?" Josh asked with a knowing tone, "Care to share?"

Rolling her eyes, she looked sideways at him, his coaxing expression taunting her into speaking.

"It's just that this case was hitting close to home on a few occasions," Abi began, feeling an arm fall over her shoulder and another land on her knee, "because it was the killing of a woman, and I had to talk to her two daughters."

Josh didn't speak, simply listened, watched as the tears glistened in her eyes but were not allowed to fall.

"They were still young, the older one was 16, the younger one was 10," she continued, her voice quiet and choked, "it just reminded me of…of what _should_ have happened, you know, if…if I just –"

Josh stopped her there, reaching a thumb up to swipe away a renegade tear, pulling her into his embrace.

"You know you couldn't have changed what happened, Abi," Josh whispered, the silently crying frame still beneath him.

"I know, I know, it's just…" Abi began, sighing, "I just miss them, you know? I mean, _I_ know that I'm okay, but _they_ don't. They never found out what actually happened to me."

Josh recognized the tone in her voice, the glimmer in her eye. It was newfound determination. Well, in this case it wasn't exactly newly discovered; she had discussed this topic many times since they'd been together, but she'd never acted upon it.

"I want – _need_ to find my family, Josh," Abi started, gazing straight into his eyes, "but I'm scared. I don't know if I can."

"Abs, whatever you decide, I will help you," Josh explained, "but only you can decide what you want."

She sighed. Knowing it was going to be difficult, Abi considered her options momentarily before she decided. It didn't take her long, but she found her past fears were disregarded for a sudden spark of motivation to recover her past.

"I'm going to find them, Josh," she said, "I'm going to find my Dad, find my sister…show them I'm okay."

His face slowly spread into a grin, as he watched the sadness evaporate and the Abi he knew take control again.

"How are you going to do it?"

"Well, Dad doesn't live in the same place anymore, but I doubt he'd go very far," Abi reasoned, "he loved the West Village – we all did."

"Right, and what about…"

"Katie?" Abi began, smiling, "She's probably taking some courtroom by storm. That's all she ever wanted to do."

"Well, you're not going to get much done if you don't sleep," Josh said, standing with a grunt before taking his girlfriend's hands, pulling her up with ease as they moved about the apartment, switching off lights and checking all the locks. Abi made a quick pit stop downstairs to check the monitor, and give Cris one last good night kiss before she found herself in the lamp lit, upstairs bedroom.

Crawling in with a smile, she moved right up to Josh's side, groaning in the sudden but quick coolness of his absence as he switched off the lamp.

"Hey, Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For just…being you."

"Anytime, Abi," he murmured, rolling to pull the young woman closer to him, "I love you."

"Love you too."

**X X X X X**

**So, I realize that every single one of you are very smart people, so I'm NOT going to try and fool y'all. I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but if you haven't, I'm telling you anyway; Abi is Kate's sister. Yes, I know, I'm not exactly subtle, but I never intended it to be difficult to tell. It's meant to be one of those things everyone in the audience knows, but the characters don't, making their exchanges so much more interesting. But, anyway, enough ranting, please review! And if you already knew, feel free to leave an 'I knew it!' I'd love to know who actually already figured it out, I know 76Marjo did!**

**Kayla x**


	23. Meeting Abigail Ch23

**Just for the record, I really, **_**really**_** love the character of Abi (in case you didn't already know) and I have been building her from the minute I began this story, and I couldn't wait for the day I could bring her in, so if you're itching for the moment when she reunites with Kate, be advised, it won't be very long. I couldn't torture myself like that! But, it's not in this chapter, sorry!**

**X X X X X**

Abi sat in the little café, quietly sipping her coffee. She had case notes in front of her that need to be written up and computerized, but quite frankly, she didn't understand why she couldn't just enter them into the computer. Stupid hard copies…

Her head floated up at the jingle of a bell and the sound of a familiar voice, the presence of a young redhead causing her to smile.

"Hey, Alexis!" she called, raising an arm in a gentle wave, the young Castle grinning herself before turning to the man behind her, her father Abi presumed.

She watched the redhead point to her before she headed over, the older man finally noticing her and appearing shocked, taken aback almost. Abi raised an eyebrow, a questioning look on her face as he came toward her slowly.

"Hi, Alexis, thanks for coming," Abi greeted, diverting her gaze from Mr. Castle and to the young girl as she stood.

"No, thank you, my Dad is a little iffy about you," Alexis speculated, rolling her eyes. Abi gave a gentle laugh as she stood, her eyes reverting back to Alexis' father, who looked more shocked and disbelieving than anything else.

"Hi, Mr. Castle, I'm Abigail Winters," she began, extending a hand, which he took, still somewhat starstruck.

"Uh, yeah, hi, I'm Richard Castle, Alexis' father," Castle explained, his eyes scanning her over. She was unnervingly familiar, yet he'd never met her before. She was taller for a woman, though no more than 5'8", her chocolate brown hair was out and straight, framing her thin, defined face. And her eyes were the brightest of hazel, looking almost gold in the early morning sun. There was _something_…

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Castle," Abi asserted, taking her seat and clearing her throat, "so I understand Alexis has told you I'm her tutor."

"Yes, yes, she did," Castle agreed with a nod, spouting a quick coffee order to the waitress before he returned to their conversation, "and she tells me you're an FBI agent?"

"On my better days, yeah," Abi murmured with a smile.

"You seem pretty young to be a special agent," Castle mused aloud, his eyes finding hers and noting the familiarity.

He cleared his throat once before he spoke again, "I hope you don't mind, but would I be able to see your badge –"

"Dad!"

"It's okay, Alexis," Abi reassured, giving her arm a gentle squeeze as she reached into her coat for her badge, sliding it across the table, "I get it a lot, don't worry."

Castle picked it up and examined it, looking at the badge and card thoroughly; it seemed legit.

"Thanks," he added with a smile, passing it back to Abi, "So how _did _you end up in the FBI so young then?"

Abi pursed her lips, her eyes falling to the ground as she mused. Castle was sensitive to her sudden change in demeanor, noting that it was _very_ similar to somebody else he knew…

"I was, uh," Abi began hesitantly, "I was in the army; enlisted when I was 17. Upon completion of my service overseas, I completed a law degree with USMA –"

"Wait, I heard you never went to college?" Castle interrupted, a statement that left Abi shrugging.

"Technically, I didn't," Abi explained, "It was just an association thing; I never planned to finish it but I ended up having nothing else to do. Plus, had I not, I wouldn't have been able to apply to the FBI when I did."

Castle nodded, thoroughly intrigued by the twisted life of Abigail Winters, "So you have a law credential?"

Abi nodded, a smile creeping onto her face momentarily, as memories made their way into her mind, before she cleared her throat and pushed them away.

"So, Mr. Castle, is there anything else you'd like to know?" Abi asked, taking a sip of her coffee, nudging her notes sideways slightly. She hadn't realized how much room they were taking up.

"Tell us about where you're from," Alexis interjected, "you said you weren't from the city?"

Abi's face split into a smile, as she began to think about all the things she could potentially tell her new student. She'd become accustomed to manufacturing her past; the one where she'd grown up with Barb and Dale, not the one where she was kidnapped, trapped and alone for months before she found a family again.

"I used to live in Rockland, was there until I finished high school," Abi began, "but I lived in the city until I was eleven."

"What made you move?" Castle asked, accepting the coffee from the waitress before he turned back to the young special agent.

"My parents moved for work," Abi explained, "Dale got a promotion to expand the company he worked for upstate, so he –"

"I'm sorry, did you just call your father Dale?" Castle interrupted again, confusion falling over his face. Even for him, that seemed…odd.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I did, umm…"Abi stuttered, becoming flustered rather quickly. She always seemed to forget most people called their parents 'Mom' and 'Dad'.

"I'm actually adopted," Abi blurted, before she could talk herself out of it, "when, uh, when I was eleven."

She stopped there, dropping her head, focusing her attention entirely on her coffee. She'd already said too much, far more than she was comfortable with around people she barely knew. She was reluctant to be this open with her own boyfriend.

"I'm sorry," Castle murmured, reaching out to grasp her hand for a moment, before retracting. He was too distracted to speak; she looked _so_ familiar, yet different at the same time. She bore an intense resemblance to…no, it wasn't possible. This couldn't be the same Abigail, could it?

"What about siblings?" Alexis asked, "Brothers or sisters?"

"Nope, only child," Abi replied with a grin, "I do have a cat though. Her name's Skylar."

Alexis grinned, watching as Abi pulled out her phone, poking at it for a few moments until she slid it across the table.

"That's her there, being manhandled," she added with a chuckle. The photo was of a little ragdoll cat, sitting in the V of a little boy's legs, two tiny hands rested on the fur of its sides. Alexis' attention was drawn to the cat, while Castle's focus was on the young boy.

"Who's the adorable young man in the photo?" he asked, his crooked grin adorning his face before he peered back to Abi, who was blushing furiously.

"Uh, that's my son," she murmured uncertainly, "Cris. He's two."

"Short for Christopher?" Alexis asked, still peering at the photo, her eyes now on the toddler too.

"Uh, no, his name is Cristiano," Abi explained, her knowledge and experience of Spanish evident in her pronunciation.

"Your boyfriend is Spanish?" Alexis questioned, drawing Abi into even more things she really shouldn't be discussing.

"Oh, no, I just like the Spanish version," she added, more memories flashing through her mind that she urged out angrily.

"Hey, do you know a guy in the FBI named Will Sorenson?" Castle asked unexpectedly, "I work with the NYPD and we had a case with the FBI about two weeks ago –"

"I know Sorenson," Abi muttered, more at who they were discussing than who she was discussing it with, "he's a jerk. Tried to get me in bed on my first day – sorry Alexis."

She turned to the young girl who was shrugging, "Can you show me some more photos of Cris?"

Now _that_ was something she could do, but she was still wondering what had made Castle ask about Sorenson. As she scrolled through her phone, she was addressing Castle, locating an album that was dedicated entirely to her little man to show Alexis.

"Why do you ask about Sorenson?" Abi asked, "I remember the case he worked, child abduction, right?"

Castle nodded, as Abi shook her head, looking disgusted.

"I heard he requested the detective he was screwing a few years back," Abi said, "talk about professionalism. He's ridiculous."

"You know who it was?" Castle asked incredulously; how could this woman know about Kate and not notice the resemblance? How could Kate not notice?

"I know _of_ the woman, I don't know who she is, nor do I care, really," Abi explained, "anybody who has been with that man deserves a slap."

"He that bad, huh?"

"He's really into himself," Abi said, astounded, "He's a total jackhole!"

Castle smirked and laughed, watching the woman get riled up over her coworker. It was quite interesting to watch, actually. Before he could say anything more, her phone began chiming, as Alexis quickly passed it to her.

"It says 'Office'," she said, Abi taking it with an eye roll and a sigh.

"Winters," she answered, gathering her case notes as she spoke, balancing the phone between her ear and her shoulder, "Yeah, I'm on my way."

Hanging up, she downed the last of her coffee, before turning to the Castles.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go, I just got called onto a case," Abi explained, standin and extending her hand to Castle, "It was a pleasure to meet you, and Alexis, I'll call you for our next study date. I'm so sorry to bail."

"It's fine," Alexis replied with a smile, "Thank you for coming, Abi."

With a last smile, Abi walked purposefully out of the café, headed for her car, while Castle quickly turned to his daughter.

"Alexis, tell me you don't see Beckett when you look at her," he exclaimed, grasping her arm.

"She is a lot like her, isn't she?" Alexis said absent-mindedly, allowing Castle's mind to go into overdrive.

Beckett had a long lost sister named Abigail, who was seemingly identical to her. Abi was 22, which would have made her 11 at the time of Johanna Beckett's murder, the time she was 'adopted'. Even the way she acted, looked…

Castle was certain that this woman was Beckett's sister, he had no doubt in his mind. Now, all he had to do was convince Beckett…

**X X X X X**

**Because my lecture is nearly over, I'm leaving this chapter where it is. We will move on to a case next chapter, I promise! Anyway, Castle's putting his detective skills into practice to reunite the Beckett sisters! I bet you can't wait to find out how he does it, I know I can't!**

**Kayla x**

**P.s. don't forget to review!**


	24. Johanna Saves Nikki Heat Ch24

**So, I thought we should revisit Beckett and Castle, maybe even Johanna while we're at it (:**

**X X X X X **

"Hey, look, it's Nikki Heat!"

Castle's eyes darted up, his grin broadening as he saw the figure of Kate Beckett move through the swarm of photographers. It was quite amusing to watch; despite Kate looking so awkward, so uncomfortable with all the attention, the young girl at her side was lapping up the focus. Johanna bore a beaming smile, holding her mother's hand, leading her along confidently, head held high. While she was so much like her mother, she was so different at the same time.

Kate did _not_ like having all eyes on her. At all. Johanna on the other hand was born for the spotlight; Kate didn't know where she got it.

"Mom, look, it's Roy!" the young girl exclaimed excitedly, tugging her mother toward Captain Montgomery, who just so happened to be heading their way.

"My, you clean up nice, Detective," he complimented, grinning at Kate before peering down at Johanna, "and you're not so bad yourself, Lil Beckett."

"Thank you, Sir," Kate replied, looking down slightly to see Johanna beaming up at her Captain.

"Castle's going to be happy to see you," Montgomery continued, chuckling at Kate's confused expression, "Have you read the dedication?"

"The dedication?"

"In the front of the book, Mom," Johanna added, pointing to the stand of 'Nikki Heat' books just to her left. Looking from her excited daughter to her amused boss, Kate took herself over to the array of books, Johanna giggling quietly beside her.

"Jo, be quiet," Kate muttered, the young girl sighing as she searched the room for someone she knew. Surely Kevin and Javi had to be around here somewhere…

"Mom, can I go find the boys?" Johanna asked, a hand on her mother's arm gently, eyes big and pleading.

"Don't go too far," Kate instructed, before Johanna was off on her way, grinning as she weaved through the crowd.

Kate watched her go, shaking her head at the stubbornness of the young girl that was so much like her own. She slowly reached down and picked up the book, turning it over in her hands a few times, reading the back page like she had many times with her own copy. With a sigh, she flipped back to the front, slowly pulling the front cover open and finding the italicized writing true to every book.

_To the extraordinary KB and_

_All my friends at the 12__th_

The words hit her hard. Not in a bad way, she felt almost…enlightened by them. She wanted to smile, grin like a school girl and find that mystery writer and hug him to pieces. But she had more self-control than that.

"Hey."

Or maybe she didn't.

"Hey!" she breathed, as Castle came up beside her, looking worriedly between the book in her hands and her eyes.

Kate's mouth was still gaping slightly as her eyes hit the book too, the awkwardness of the situation quickly emerging as the silence went on.

"The dedication, uh, wow, thank you," she stuttered, shutting the book gently and placing it back on the stand, Castle's face still set in an expression of almost insecurity.

"I mean what I said," he began, much of his tension leaving the minute he began to speak, "You _are_ extraordinary."

She felt her mouth gaping again, unable to stop it with anything legible, letting it open and close a few times before the two were interrupted by a little voice.

"Mom, Javi said he and Kevin had to go," Johanna whined, sighing as she fell against Kate's side, looking up to her company, "Oh, hey Castle."

"Hello there, Johanna, how are you this evening?" Castle asked, flashing his best, charming grin her way as she smiled.

"I'm good," she replied, before her eyes brightened, "Is Alexis here?"

With a chuckle, Castle nodded, pointing toward the bar and seating area, "She's over there with her Grandmother."

"Catch ya later, Mom," Johanna said, "Be good!"

Shaking her head at her giggling daughter, Kate turned back to the mystery writer, thankful that her daughter's appearance had relinquished most of the awkwardness.

"So, any word on a certain British secret agent?" Kate asked playfully, almost grinning as she raised her eyebrows. Castle held a finger to his mouth, taking her by the arm and pulling her gently over to the side where there were less eavesdroppers.

"I've been given the official offer," Castle replied, beaming like a schoolboy as Kate's jaw fought the urge to drop for a third time this evening. She couldn't believe it – he'd been offered…

"Wow, that's, uh…Congratulations!" she exclaimed, forcing a laugh from her chest as she gave his arm a quick and encouraging squeeze.

"I haven't accepted it yet –"

"But you're going to, aren't you?" Kate interjected. If he was going to leave, she wanted to know about it. Now. Not for her, for Johanna; their daughters had become fairly attached, and she didn't want her little girl to get hurt because Richard Castle decided to write another book.

"You wouldn't mind if I didn't write another Nikki Heat book?" Castle asked, genuinely concerned. Kate thought for a moment. Of _course_ she minded, a whole lot actually; he thought he could just waltz in, turn her world upside down then waltz back out like nothing changed? Not that she was going to let him know that.

"I mean, it's not like I asked you to write the first one," she conceded, a close-lipped smile flashing across her face momentarily as Castle's eyebrow rose.

"Most people would be flattered if someone wrote a book based on them –"

"Flattered?" Kate demanded, "Do you know how much grief I've had to put up with over this Nikki Heat thing?"

"Well I'm sorry!" Castle exclaimed, stepping back, Kate's sudden turn in attitude surprising him.

"I'm not asking you to be sorry," she cried, "Just – you know what, do what you want, you always do anyway!"

"Well fine, I'll do the other book then," he cried, "You know, it's just as well because there really wasn't enough to the character of Nikki Heat for more than one book anyway –"

"Oh there's _plenty_ to the character," Kate snapped, "She just needs a better writer!"

"Fine."

"Fine!"

**X X X X X**

"Castle!"

Before he had barely had a chance to step off the elevator, a young voice and a small hand were whisking him off to the break room angrily.

When they arrived, Johanna slammed the door, turning on Castle immediately, arms crossed and foot tapping.

"Spill it, mister," she demanded, her eyes narrow, gaze unyielding and somewhat unnerving. Castle was shocked out of words, almost unable to speak, a gesture of her head telling him he should probably get to speaking before she _really_ got angry.

"What exactly am I explaining?" he asked quietly and innocently, unsure of what she was referring to.

"Don't play dumb," Johanna cried, "What were you talking to my Mom about last night?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, young lady –"

"It is when she was upset the whole night after she finished talking to you," Johanna began, "why she went home and sat in her room, buried in one of _your_ books. Why she didn't leave her room or say anything until we got in the car to come here this morning –"

"Shouldn't you be at school –"

"Don't interrupt!" Johanna demanded, her arms uncrossing and landing on her hips as she took two steps forward, "She hasn't closed herself off like that since I was a baby and she was still upset about her Mom, so don't even _try_ and tell me that what you talked about was nothing."

Castle sighed, taking a seat, noticing that Johanna didn't alter the ferocity in her stance or gaze. She was determined to get her answers.

"Has your Mom told you about my other book offer?" Castle asked, emitting a shaking head, a gesture that was going to make this even more difficult to explain.

"You mean you'd start writing about Mom, then stop for some other book you think is better?" Johanna asked, disbelief laced in her tone as Castle held up a hand before he continued.

"No, no, it's not just any other book," he explained, "It's…a certain British spy, huge franchise, childhood love and all that jazz."

"And that's more important than my Mom?"

The question left Castle stumped, his mouth opening and closing, illegible noises escaping his mouth as he watched Johanna sit back in her hip, head shaking, eyes narrowed.

"I thought you loved her?" she whispered.

Castle stopped, eyes wide as he watched the girl, looking for some sort of tell, anything, but all he could see was pain and sincerity in her expression. Suddenly, he knew that, by leaving the 12th, he was already hurting more than just himself.

"I don't, uh – I think, erm…"

"You don't love her do you?" Johanna asked, "You've just been making her think you do all this time, haven't you?"

Her tone was accusatory and angry, her cheeks a fiery shade as she stared him down, the ferocity of her emotions causing tears to well in her eyes.

"Jo, I want you to know, I care about your mother very, _very_ much," Castle assured, reaching out to take the reluctant girls' hands in his, "I just think it's too early to say I love her."

"But you could one day, right?" she asked, her fury turning to hope, "Because she was never happier once she met you, and last night was the saddest she's ever been for a long time."

He gave her hands a squeeze, her bright blue eyes staring straight into his as he spoke.

"Trust me when I say this," Castle began, "But I have never met two people stronger or more extraordinary than you and your mother, and I would never intend to hurt you."

"So will you stay?" Johanna asked, her eyes big, "I won't be angry at you anymore if you stay."

Castle chuckled momentarily, before he sighed, nodding as he spoke, "I – oh, sorry, hold on."

Johanna rolled her eyes as his phone chimed, as he delved into his pocket to retrieve his phone. She didn't listen in on his call, instead let her eyes widen at the appearance of her mother at the coffee machine.

Sidling up to her, she rested on her side, feeling a hand land on her shoulder momentarily, before it was back at the coffee cup. Behind her, she could hear Castle getting more and more excited as the moment went on, before he ended his call, grinning, both Becketts now turned to look at him. Both their eyebrows' were raised, Johanna almost smirking while Kate just looked annoyed.

"Castle, what are you doing here?" Beckett asked, one arm crossed, coffee in hand as she sipped it nonchalantly.

"I just got a call from my agent," he began exuberantly, "and it looks like the certain British secret agent is going to find himself a new writer. I just got an _amazing_ offer for three more Nikki Heat books!"

"_Three?"_ Kate exclaimed, "That would take _forever_!"

**X X X X X**

**Kinda short-ish chapter, but I'll make up for it, I promise ;)**

**Intrigued as to my plans? Too bad, you'll just have to wait and see what I've got up my sleeve!**

**Kayla x**


	25. The Reunion Ch25

"I swear, my body clock hates me," Abi groaned, Josh chuckling behind her as she buttoned the bright green coat that was adorning her son.

"It's not _that_ early, Abi," Josh replied, shaking his head, "It's only 6:30am."

"That's plenty early when I don't have to go to work, isn't that right, Cris?" Abi said, turning to the little boy in front of her with a smile, one he returned with equal enthusiasm.

"Momma, we going to park?" Cris asked excitedly, his eyes bright as Josh pulled a beanie onto his head and over his eyes, causing the young boy to giggle.

"Of course we are, silly!" Abi exclaimed, standing as she spoke, the two and a half year old practically exploding with excitement. Amongst Josh's chuckling, Cris began to bound out of his bedroom, plodding all the way over to the door and stopping. He stared expectantly after Abi and Josh, the two of them wandering over laughing to themselves.

"Come on, crazy Cris," Josh added, scooping him up, "We've got a park to get to!"

Abi laughed softly to herself as she watched her son shriek in excitement, Josh opening the door and letting the two and a half year old clamber into the lobby of their Chelsea building. It gave her butterflies in her stomach as she watched her boyfriend and son laugh and play as they made their way to the glass doors. They really were the best two boys she could ask for…

She caught up to Josh who was carrying a giggling Cris on his shoulders, curling herself into the side of his coat, letting the warmth into her fingers.

"So, Cris, what do you want to go on first when we get to the park?" Abi asked, reaching up to grab the young boy's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Swing!" Cris exclaimed, clapping excitedly, "Swing, Momma!"

Josh gave a quiet chuckle, looking both ways before they crossed the street. Abi gave a glance herself and found her attention caught by the yellow police tape cordoning off a nearby alley.

"What do you suppose is going on over there?" Josh murmured, feeling Abi shrug beside him.

"I don't kn –"

She stopped mid-sentence, a female figure amongst two male ones catching her eye. She was familiar, a little too familiar for Abi's liking. Her hair was a cherry brown, sitting just below her shoulders; she was tall and thin, her heeled boots leaving her at six feet tall. She was wearing jeans and a brown coat, her head down, her face covered by her hair.

She was so familiar…

"Abi!"

Turning at her name, she realized she'd begun to walk toward the crime scene, albeit slowly and only a few steps.

"Oh, sorry," Abi muttered to herself, walking back to Josh, head flicking back over her shoulder a few times. On the third or fourth flick, the woman and the man beside her were looking at her too. She was too far away to discern any notable features, or to get a good look at her face, but Abi was already sure of herself.

She took one more step, but then the woman looked away, almost in an ashamed manner.

"Come on, Abi," Josh urged, tugging her arm in the direction of the park, "it's not her."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Abi murmured on a sigh, shaking her head at herself for being such a fool.

**X X X X X**

"Are you sure it's her?" Kate asked, looking from their victim hanging from the fire escape to Castle, who was nodding solemnly. Sighing, she turned to Castle, prepared to speak before a girl in the distance caught her eye, stopping her in her tracks.

"Uh, what are you looking at?" Castle murmured, turning to find his own eyebrows raising.

"Is that –"

"No, it's not," Kate interjected, her eyes still stuck on the figure ahead of her. She had the same brown hair, the same long, slender shape that she'd always had…

But no, _that_ girl was with another man and a little boy, probably her husband and child. There was _no_ way her 22, almost 23 year old sister would be married with a child. No way in hell.

"Are you sure it's –"

"No, Castle," Kate demanded, turning to face him, "it's not."

With that, she turned on her heel, muttered something to one of the uniforms before she headed back to her car.

**X X X X X**

Kate sat in the interview lounge, Skye Blue sitting opposite her, curled up with a coffee in her hand. She'd asked Castle to sit this one out, knowing she'd get more out of this girl without him. From their last interview, she'd figured out the girl had some serious grudges against her sister, and that was just the beginning of it.

"Skye, if you knew she was in trouble, why didn't you help her –"

"Because she was an ass!" Skye exclaimed, "How was I supposed to get clean when she couldn't even do it?"

"Skye, Haley wasn't using –"

"She was, I saw her with –"

"That was something else," Kate said, referring back to her notes again. Haley hadn't gone to Tony the drug dealer for drugs, but for a gun, the one that was used to kill her.

"Skye, I'm being honest here," Kate continued, "If you knew she was having problems, why wouldn't you help her?"

"I'm guessing you don't have a sister," Skye replied sharply, "because then you would know that they do things that are unforgivable."

"I did have a sister," Kate demanded quietly, "And she was taken from me. She was gone without any thought for what her disappearance would do to me. And that pisses me off; that she would leave without saying goodbye or promising to come back."

Skye's eyes softened, her demeanor changing slightly as the severity of her loss weighed down on her.

"I'm angry at her for leaving me," Kate added, "but ten years on, I've come to realize that it wasn't our fault. Neither of us could have known that after that night we would never see each other again."

Kate watched as Skye's face fell, her eyes dropping to the floor, but rather than remorse, she gave even more anger the next time she spoke, shocking the detective.

"If she weren't such and idiot, then she wouldn't have gotten herself killed," Skye began, her voice raising with each word, "it's _her_ fault that she got killed, and _her_ fault that I don't give a damn. And if you were _really_ telling the truth about your sister, you would still be pissed at her too."

**X X X X X**

"I'm home, and I – oh, hey Abi."

"Hi Mr. Castle," Abi greeted, flashing the man a grin before she turned back to Alexis, who was intently focused on her laptop.

"So she was found in an alley in Chelsea?" Abi asked, the young redhead beside her nodding vigorously.

"Yeah, you live in Chelsea, right?" Alexis asked, "Did you see the crime scene?"

Abi mused for a moment, thinking back to the scene she'd witnessed this morning and nodding gently.

"You know, I think I did," Abi began, "was she hanging from a fire escape?"

Alexis gave another excited nod, to which Abi raised an eyebrow, chuckling quietly to herself as she shook her head.

"Yeah, I saw it on my way to the park with my boys this morning –"

"Your boys?" Castle asked, a coy grin on his face, "How old is little Cris again?"

"He's two going on twelve," Abi added with a laugh, "At least that's what Nana Barb says."

"Nana Barb?" Alexis asked, "It's not just Nana?"

"No, it's, uh…it's complicated," Abi murmured, eyes dropping, flipping the pen in her hand over and over.

"Well come on, darling, it can't be _that_ complicated," Martha interjected, sipping her wine as all eyes landed on her, Alexis and Castle questioning, Abi's lips pursed as she mused internally.

With a sigh, Abi inadvertently drew the attention back to herself, her green eyes moving up to find Alexis' blue ones staring at her sympathetically.

"I, uh," Abi began, looking down once more before looking back between the Castle family around her, "I was adopted."

"Really?" Alexis exclaimed, Martha cutting in once again after she'd swallowed her mouthful of wine.

"Darling, being adopted is nothing to be ashamed of," she said, laying her hand on Abi's shoulder, "so tell us, how did you come to be adopted."

"Mother!"

Unabashed by Castle's scolding Martha waved him off, turning back to the flustered albeit ongoing Abi. If she was going to tell anyone her story at any time, it may as well be a family she knew and trusted, despite knowing them for only a short time.

"I was, uh, I was adopted when I was twelve, by a family from Rockdale," Abi began quietly, meeting only Alexis' eyes at any one point in time, "but before that I was in an orphanage for a year and a half."

"How did you end up in an orphanage?" Alexis cried, her face contorted into a mix of rage, confusion and pity. Abi let out another sigh, this one shakier than the first, her gaze darting between her audience uncertainly.

"You don't have to tell us, you know –"

"Thank you, Mr. Castle, but I always finish what I start," Abi said, "even if it is just a story."

"It's not _just_ a story," Castle added, "It's _your_ story. It's up to you when, where and how you tell it."

There was silence for a while, a moment or two if Abi were counting, only she was more focused on retelling the hardest part of her story. The part only two other people in the world knew about.

"I came to be in an orphanage because my mother was murdered when I was eleven years old," she continued, amidst stares of both concern, disbelief and, on Castle's part, a little mischief. This only confirmed one of his theories.

"I was with her while she was working, and we were heading to the car to meet my father and sister for dinner," Abi recounted, thinking back to that night in the back of her mind. No matter how hard she tried to push it away, it always hung there; a reminder of what she lost and what she could have stopped. It was a nightmare that returned once too often.

"And all of a sudden, there was a man grabbing her, and she looked like she was screaming, but there was no sound coming out," she said, "And when he stepped back, I saw the knife."

A hand reached out to hers, grasping it the left, her eyes meeting Alexis' when she glanced over. Martha's hand still lay on her shoulder, and had been squeezing it intermittently since she began, while Castle simply looked on in interest and thought.

"I froze, I just…I couldn't move," Abi whispered, "and before I knew it, she was on the ground, bleeding out. She was reaching for me, trying to speak, but she couldn't get the words out. And then, she was gone.

"Before I could do anything about it, the man who killed her grabbed me and started taking me away," she continued, "well, I found my voice, I started screaming, kicking and clawing at the wall to make him stop. Instead, he muttered something about never telling anyone, then whacked me over the head, and the next thing I knew, I was at an orphanage."

Castle watched his mother and daughter silently console the young FBI agent, while he allowed a million theories to run wild in his mind. Her mother was stabbed in an alley. They were on their way to dinner with their family. She clawed at the wall, the only place where her existence was found.

"Once I was adopted, and we moved to Rockland, we would come to the city almost every weekend," Abi added, "Barb and Dale loved the city, and it was the only place I felt at home."

"Did you ever go back?" Alexis asked, "To find your old family?"

Shaking her hung head, Abi didn't allow herself any eye contact.

"Why should I, you know?" she started, "I could have stopped him, could have saved our mother but…I didn't. Why should I go back when I'm the reason we're broken?"

"No, Abi, darling, you couldn't have stopped a fully grown man at eleven years old from committing murder," Martha said, "if you had, you would have both gotten killed."

"Gram's right," Alexis said, "if you were kidnapped, they've probably spent the last ten or more years wondering whether you're okay."

Defiantly, Abi shook her head, "I can't go back. To protect them. It's better if they think I'm gone."

"Now, Abi, if your family is anything like you," Castle began, his hand reaching out to grasp hers, "I know they would want you back."

**X X X X X**

"Mom, are you okay?" Johanna asked, wandering into her mother's room to find the woman curled up on her bed, a box open and albums adorning the space around her.

Kate's head snapped up, her eyes glistening but she wasn't yet crying, a smile flashed to her daughter before she gestured for her to come over. Climbing up onto the bed, Johanna looked at the picture her mother was staring at intently. It was two girls, one, her mother, probably late teens, the other a younger but almost identical girl Johanna knew to be her aunt.

"Is that Auntie Abigail?" she asked, pointing at the young girl in the photo, whose arms were wrapped around Kate's waist.

Present day Kate nodded gently, sniffing back a tear as she smiled, pulling Johanna closer.

"Yeah, that's her," she affirmed, giving the figure one more caressing with her thumb before placing the photo back in the box in front of her. The box was where she kept everything to do with her sister. Inside were her little sister's first ballet shoes, the birthday card she made for Kate in kindergarten, her charm bracelet that she thought she'd lost…

"You would have liked her, you know," Kate began, turning to Johanna, closing the box gently, "You're a lot like her. Smart, beautiful, outgoing…I was just never like that."

Johanna blinked a few times at her mother, before looking to the box, pulling it closer to her and gently lifting the lid. So far, her mother hadn't stopped her, as she reached in and pulled out a few photographs, skimming through them. One was a beach shot, both girls standing in the water at a much younger age. Another was a Santa photo from 1989, Kate on one knee and Abi on the other. The last one Johanna looked at was a tenth birthday, her mother standing beside a cake, grinning, while a toddler with brown hair and green eyes stood on a chair beside her, arms clamped around Kate's shoulders.

"Where is she now?" Johanna asked, neatly bundling the photos and placing them back in the box, shutting it then looking to her mother.

Kate shook her head, sighing as she did, her arm curling even further around Johanna's frame, "I wish I knew, Jo."

"The case you're working right now is sisters; is that what made you think of her?" the young girl asked innocently, peering up at a solemn Kate with hopeful and supportive eyes.

"Yeah, but we got the guy, Jo, don't worry about it –"

"Are you ever gonna try and find her?" Johanna asked, "Auntie Abigail, I mean."

"It was almost eleven years ago, Jo," Kate reasoned, "She's probably long gone by now."

"But don't you miss her, Mom?" she questioned, watching as her mother's eyes finally met hers for the first time since she stepped into the room.

"More than anything, Jo."

**X X X X X **

"Ah, come in, Detective Beckett," Castle greeted, stepping aside to allow Kate into the loft. It was warm inside, even warmer than her own apartment where she'd left her father and daughter just half an hour ago.

"Thank you, Castle," she replied, making her way slowly over to the kitchen island, taking a seat on one of the bar stools where she had many times before.

"Where are Martha and Alexis?" Kate asked, looking around the oddly quiet loft for any sign of the famous redheads. Normally, Martha would have jumped at any chance to influence the partnership of Castle and Beckett, but at this moment, she was yet to be seen.

"Mother is still getting ready, and Alexis is with her tutor," Castle explained, "she's coming with us too."

Kate nodded, aware of the glint in his eye, but amiss has to how it related to the tutor of his daughter. Either way, she shrugged it off, puffing out her lips as she watched the man fiddle about the kitchen. His tinkering, however, was a distraction from his pending nerves; what if this girl _wasn't_ her sister? No, the coincidence was too massive for it not to be the one and only Abigail Beckett.

"Can I ask you something?" he began, turning back to the female detective waiting impatiently at his breakfast bar.

"When has my answer ever stopped you from asking a question?" she replied coyly, narrowing her eyes questioningly at him as he chuckled and continued.

"Point taken, but in all seriousness, I want to know," he began, pausing for both dramatic effect and to allow sincerity to fall, "how would you feel about trying to find your sister?"

"Castle –"

"No, just hear me out," he interjected, holding up a hand, leaning forward so his face was no more than a foot from Kate's, "What if someone close to you said they thought they'd found her. What would you do?"

Kate's heart was pounding in her chest, as she mustered all her self-control to not explode out of herself.

"Castle, it took me years to get over the fact that she was gone and we didn't know why," Kate explained, "and now, I'm at peace with her not coming back. I'd appreciate it if you didn't get my hopes up like you did the last time."

There was noise on the stairs, the sound of two young girls laughing, one of them Kate figured to be Alexis, the other her tutor. She snapped her gaze from Castle before he could speak again, not noticing the grin that escaped him as he took a step back. Kate got a hold of herself, leaving all emotion that she didn't need in the back of her mind, as she turned, smiling to greet Alexis as she descended from the top floor.

"Hey Alexis, how –"

The figure beside the youngest Castle stopped her in her tracks. She was tall, thin, brunette, with sparkling hazel eyes, pale skin and her expression was much the same as Kate's.

Abi didn't notice that Alexis had left her side to join her father. She didn't notice that the two Castles were smiling like five year olds at their little mission accomplished. All she saw was the older yet almost identical version of herself, seated at the breakfast bar, jaw practically on the ground.

"Katie?" she whispered, almost ready to pinch herself to see if she wasn't dreaming. In fact, she knew it _couldn't_ be a dream; she'd had many about the day she found her sister again, and never did they feel quite like this. It was almost affirmation that this instance was real, that the woman in front of her was in fact her long lost sister.

"Abi?" Kate murmured, standing slowly as the young girl took another step down.

As if the murmuring of each other's names was a cue, they both ran, tears streaming toward each other, meeting halfway between the kitchen and the staircase. Kate threw her arms Abi's shoulders, squeezing her eyes as tight as she was her sister. Abi let her arms land around Kate's waist, burying her face in her neck, holding on with no intention of letting go.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Abi whispered, feeling Kate slowly release her body, but remained clasping her hands.

"I never thought I'd find you," Kate replied, "where have you been all this time?"

"Everywhere but where I should have been," Abi answered, releasing one hand to wipe away the tears that refused to disappear. Kate took the opportunity to reach into her pocket, pulling out her phone and dialing.

"What are you doing?" Abi asked, Kate holding up a finger as answered the call she'd begun.

"Hey, Dad, it's Kate."

"_Katie? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Jim replied, noting the tears in his daughter's voice._

"No, Dad, everything's…everything is perfect," she replied, sensing the confusion on her father's part, "I have someone who wants to talk to you."

"_Well, uh, okay, put them on, Katie."_

Slowly, she lowered the cell from her ear and hand it to Abi, both their hands shaking as she took it from her, raising it to her ear.

"Daddy?"

_Jim froze. That voice, it was so like Katie's, yet it was different. He knew that voice. It was one he'd yearned to hear for almost eleven years._

"It's Abigail," she continued, sniffing again as she heard what sounded like quiet yet shielded tears on the other line.

"_Abigail?"_

For the first time since she'd last heard his voice, Abi beamed, the sound of her father on the other line sending butterflies through her stomach. Kate stood opposite her, grinning as well, the Castles just nearby, witnessing the reunion they'd brought about.

"Daddy, I'm home."

**X X X X X**

**I kept it all as one big long chapter because I knew it would take me longer to get the second half out if I split it, then I'd have cranky readers on my hands, and I live only to please you!**

**Please tell me what you thought, because I had a bajillion different scenarios for this chapter, and this is one I kept coming back to. It was also going to be more case-based, but you know these characters, they practically write themselves. **

**Anyways, let me know what you thought (:**

**Kayla x**


	26. Meet The Family Ch26

"Josh, have you seen my keys?" Abi asked, moving frantically around her apartment, lifting papers, moving vases, while her son giggled at the television from the floor of the living room. Josh was in the bedroom, emerging moments later in only his jeans, his appearance exciting Cris, the young boy jumping up instantly.

"What are you looking for?" Josh asked, scooping up the two year old into his arms, walking slowly forward and placing a hand gently on Abi's shoulder. She stopped fussing, sighed inwardly and turned on the spot, resting her forehead in the space between Josh's collarbone and shoulder.

"I'm sorry, honey, I'm just nervous," Abi murmured, pushing away again to hunt the dining room more carefully for her car keys, or else they'd be paying for a cab.

"What are you nervous about?" Josh asked, "Your family is going to be se happy to see you."

"Yeah, but Josh, they don't know about you, they don't know about Cris and –"

"And I'm sure your sister has a boyfriend or a husband that you don't know about either," Josh interjected, walking forward to meet the still flustered Abi.

"Listen, Abi," he started, wrapping an arm around her waist, letting Cris lean his head on his mother's shoulder, "It's been almost eleven years, of course you've changed, and so have they."

"I know, it's just…" Abi continued, "I'm only 22, I should be graduating college, going out into the workforce, just starting life. Instead I've basically just shunned any sort of success I could have had."

"Abi, you listen to me," Josh said, lowering Cris to the ground, a tiny hand wrapping around Josh's thigh, "You have done so much _more_ than any 22 year old could say they've done."

She let her eyes drop, ashamed of the fact that he was wrong; she hadn't done much of worth in her life, and if she had, it usually ended prematurely, before she could make anything out of it.

"Josh, please –"

"No, listen to me," he cut in, "you fought for your country, were given honorable discharge from line of duty because you were injured protecting those who couldn't protect themselves."

"Josh, don't –"

"While you were training, you got yourself a degree, finished it while you were recovering, you had a son that loves you more than anything and then you joined the FBI to protect the people of the city, bring justice to people's lives –"

"Stop," Abi demanded, raising a hand, "It sounds great, really admirable, when you say it like that. But look at me, Josh; I'm _not_ all that you make me out to be. I'm me. Just me, and I'm okay with that."

"Then what's the problem?" he asked in a whisper, both hands landing on her shoulders, her own arms crossed across her chest.

Once again, she found herself looking away, unable to meet his eyes. Cris was gazing up at her from beside his father's leg, his expression pensive and his brown eyes wide.

"Just because I'm okay with my life, doesn't mean my family will be," Abi said on a sigh, shrugging out from under Josh's grasp and heading into the kitchen, finding her keys sitting on the bench top by the coffee machine.

"Are you gonna put a shirt on?" Abi asked with a grin, wandering back into the dining room, "Cos I don't think the restaurant will appreciate your half-nakedness like I do."

"Oh, you appreciate this, huh?" Josh added, his tone playful, as he took a step closer to Abi, chuckling at her raised eyebrow. She let him slip his arms around her, letting his hands rest in the small of her back, as her own arms snaked around his neck, a smile spreading over her face.

"You _know_ how I appreciate your nakedness," she growled, before his mouth was on hers, a slow, soft kiss sending tingles through her whole body. He pulled away only seconds later, grinning as he sauntered back to the bedroom, whistling cheerily to himself as Abi stared after him.

She may or may not have let her eyes drop as he walked away…

**X X X X X**

"Dad, can you hurry up please?" Kate urged, nudging an eye-rolling Johanna out of the bathroom and into the living room.

"Mom, seriously, you need to chill," the young girl advised, flopping backwards on the couch with a sigh, "We're just going to lunch."

Kate shushed her daughter before she headed back down her father's hall, finding the man in his bedroom, gazing at a photo. It was the same photo she'd found him looking at many a time after her mother's death. It was one of the most naturally beautiful photos Kate had seen of her sister and mother; they were walking through the park, with the autumn leaves falling haphazardly around them. Together, they had been skipping back toward Kate and Jim, their eyes locked on each other. Kate had never seen her mother look at anyone more adoringly than her youngest sister; they really were two of a kind. Kate had always been told she was more like her father in temperament, and she knew that Abi was exactly like their mother. Warm, caring, devoted…everything Kate had longed to be.

"Come on, Dad," Kate whispered, slowly reaching for the photo and prying it from his grasp. He let go willingly, watching his eldest daughter put the photograph back in his bedside drawer.

"We can stop living in the past now," she added, turning around to find him still staring at his open, empty hands, "She's back; she's not going anywhere again."

Jim scoffed, shaking his head as he sighed, stepping backwards to take a seat on his bed. Kate joined him, sitting thigh to thigh with her father letting her hand grasp his atop their legs.

"We never thought she'd be going anywhere in the first place," Jim murmured, sighing, his eyes drifting around the room, looking everywhere but Kate's eyes.

"Dad, she's not going anywhere," she reiterated, "we've found her again; and we're not letting her go this time."

A moment of silence filled the room, a muffled and impatient call from Johanna erupting amongst the quiet momentarily, leaving the two adults laughing gently to themselves. Slowly, Jim stood, straightened out his coat, and gave his tie a wiggle, setting it in its proper place. He turned to Kate, held out a hand and pulled her up once she'd taken it. Still holding her hands, he gave her a once over with his eyes, a small close-lipped smile on his face.

"I'll tell you something, Katie?" he began, his eyes finally meeting hers, "I never let her go in the first place."

Kate felt her heart swell, her eyes explode as tears streamed down her face, silent sobs causing her shoulders to shudder.

"You knew she'd come home," she whispered, sniffing back tears as best she could, "You knew this whole time, didn't you?"

Jim shrugged, his head shaking, "No, not exactly."

Kate's head tilted, her eyes narrowing in confusion as they attempted to coax the words from her father, her comically raised eyebrow finally caving him.

"I knew that I'd see her again one day," Jim began, "I didn't know whether it would be the same time I was reunited with your mother or not, but one thing I knew for sure…"

Once again, Kate found herself annoyed but somehow still grinning at her father's need for theatrics when he explained things. Although, it had made for great bedtime stories as a child.

"I knew that, if she were still out there, somewhere, there was nothing that could keep her from you," he said, "she loved you more than anything in the world, Katie, and if she was coming home for anyone, it was going to be you."

Words wouldn't form in her mouth as Kate threw her arms around her father, sobbing gently into his shoulder. She took a step back, confused when he started chuckling.

"Come on, Katie, our girl is getting impatient," Jim added, urging Kate into the living room to find Johanna at the door, fiddling with the handle, jingling with the keys. _Anything to make them move faster_, she thought to herself, sighing with relief when they entered the room.

"Finally!" Johanna exclaimed, "I seriously thought the Boogie Man got you."

Kate chuckled, glancing to Jim who had a knowing look in his eye, watching the young girl turn the key and pull the door open.

"Come on, or we are _going_ to be late!" she cried, her voice facing only a little as she headed down the hall.

"You didn't tell her who we're meeting this evening, did you?" Jim asked, grinning, eyebrow raised as he locked the door after Kate, who stood shaking her head.

"She's a clever girl, I'm sure she'll figure it out!"

**X X X X X**

"Hi, we have a booking for Winters," Abi told the waitress, who, with her beaming grin, led the young family to the table for six, Josh holding a curious Cris on his hip.

Abi thanked the woman before she took her seat, letting Cris sit between herself and Josh, picking up her menu and sighing. The words on the page didn't hold her attention for long, placing the menu gently back on the table and letting her chin rest in her palm. Nope, that wasn't working either; crossing her arms on the table she slouched, letting her gaze wander about the room. There weren't many in for a Saturday lunch time, but that was common for this place. It was out of the way, not very popular; you had to be a regular to know of it, really, a fact Abi thought strange considering the quality of their food.

"Abi, come on, you're making Cris nervous too," Josh interrupted, as Abi turned to him, still half-glazed. She looked down to Cris, who was staring at her, wide-eyed, a hint of worry in his expression that just melted Abi's heart.

"Oh I'm sorry, munchkin," she said on a sigh, ruffling his hair lightly as he fidgeted in his seat, clambering onto her lap and flopping against her chest. Chuckling, Abi wrapped her arms around the young boy, the feeling of his hands clamped around her ribs taking almost all the nerves from her system. What she would do without her little man, she had no idea!

"Okay, kiddo, back to your seat," Abi murmured, lifting him back onto the chair, watching him spin up onto his knees, picking up the menu and opening it just as his mother had done moments ago.

"What are you gonna eat today, buddy?" Josh asked, scooting closer to peer at the choices with the young boy, who shrugged and pointed at a line somewhere in the middle of the page.

"That one!" Cris cried, giggling at Josh's raised eyebrow.

"I don't think you'll like that one," he chuckled, not noticing Abi's hand reach across, resting evenly on Josh's shoulder and Cris' back, her thumb making circles in the space between his shoulder and collarbone.

The jingle of the door turned all three heads, Abi's breath hitching a moment as she saw the newest arrivals. Of course, she was expecting them, but it still felt so surreal to be within reach of them after all this time. Absent-mindedly, she pinched herself, wincing at the pain before she moved on. Tapping Josh's shoulder lightly, he looked up, finding their guests had arrived and Abi was standing.

Josh delayed his standing, as Abi pushed her way around the table to greet her sister halfway, enveloping her almost completely in a hug which Kate was returning in its entirety. Jim stood back for a moment with Johanna, his eyes wet and gaze far away yet focused on Abi. After she was released by Kate, Abi turned to her father, both struggling to find the appropriate words for the moment. They barely noticed when Kate ushered for Johanna to join her, before Jim was pulling his youngest daughter into a tight, warm embrace.

It was a silent, emotional hug, one that almost stopped the world around her as Abi took in everything she had missed for so many years. She reveled in the fact that, although so much time had passed, she could still smell and feel everything she remembered from one of her father's hugs.

"There really was nothing like a daddy's hug," she whispered, standing straight as Jim stepped back, hands on her shoulders, taking in everything as he sighed shakily.

"You grew up to be so beautiful, Abigail," he murmured, dropping his hands to his sides, the young woman before him grinning before she spoke.

"And you haven't changed a bit, Dad," she replied, before she inclined her head back to the table, "Come on, we've got awkward introductions to get passed before we walk down memory lane."

"Ah, you're every bit like your mother too," Jim added on a chuckle, glancing quickly in Kate's direction before they were all headed for the table.

"Uh, Abi, this is my daughter, Johanna," Kate began, the young girl beside her still gaping at whom she was being introduced to, "Jo, this is my sister, Abigail."

"This is _the_ Auntie Abigail?" Johanna exclaimed quietly, looking to her nodding mother, then back to her aunt, still unsure of what to say next.

"You know about me?" Abi asked, astounded, looking between Kate and Johanna in disbelief, the young girl nodding profusely.

"Yeah, Mom has told me all about you," Johanna blurted, "and she was really nervous about seeing you today."

"Don't worry, Johanna, the nerves were mutual, I think," Abi laughed, gesturing for the three Becketts to sit down as she turned to her own little family.

"Uh, this is my boyfriend, Josh," she started, pausing for the customary handshakes and 'pleasures' to be passed along, "and this little man is my son, Cris."

"Well, I don't think I've seen a more handsome young man than Mr. Christopher here –"

"Oh, it's not Christopher," Abi interrupted Jim, who looked at her confused as she continued, "It's Cristiano."

"Oh, I see," Jim replied, "Is your family Spanish, Josh?"

"Uh no, we're All-American, but Abi liked the Spanish version of the name," Josh explained, glancing worriedly sideways at a blushing Abi.

"It's complicated," she added, eyes falling, a hand reaching to gently squeeze Cris' shoulder before she turned back to her estranged family across the table.

"So, Abi, tell me, where have you been hiding all this time?" Jim asked, arms crossed, eyes on Abi as she sighed and started.

"Well, uh, I started out in an orphanage outside the city and uh, then I was adopted out just before my thirteenth birthday," she explained, "And the family I moved in with were from Rockland, so I was there until I was 17 and finished high school."

Abi watched the realization of how close to home she'd really been come crashing down on her father and sister, and the questions that came with it were burning in their minds.

"I moved back to the city to start college, but I ended up enlisting in the army instead and –"

"Hang on a tick," Jim interrupted, holding up a hand, "are you saying you, at 17 years old, went into the army?"

Abi gave a solemn nod, her father's gobsmacked expression a mix of both fear and pride, while Johanna was simply intrigued.

"Weren't you scared?" she asked, eyes wide as she stared, waiting for an answer.

"I was a little," Abi nodded, "but I was helping other people who couldn't help themselves, so I just sort of focused on that."

"What did you do after the army?" Kate asked, her thumbs twiddling in front of her, her green eyes not daring to leave her sister for a second.

"I was, uh, granted honorable discharge after about a year of active duty, so I came home and finished the degree I started while I was at West Point," she continued, "and once I finished I moved on to the FBI."

"You're pretty young to be in the FBI," Kate said, watching the grin spread on Abi's face.

"You don't know how many times I get told that," she added with a chuckle, "but I was allowed in because of my military service and the law credential I completed just before I joined. I turn 23 in a month, so hopefully that means people will stop telling me I'm too young for the FBI."

Grinning, Kate turned to Josh, who was resting on his elbow, his right hand still wrapped around Cris as he was addressed.

"And what is it that you do, Josh?" she asked.

"I'm a doctor," he replied with a curt smile, "pretty average one at that."

Abi reached over and gave him a light backhand on the shoulder, narrowing her eyes at him as she shook her head.

"He's just being modest again," she said, "He's a cardiac surgeon, and he works with Doctors Without Borders on occasion. Probably saved hundreds of lives."

"That's very commendable, Josh," Jim said, a nod and a smile in his direction before he settled back into his seat, still grinning at Abi every time he glanced at her.

"So, Katie, what have you been doing this whole time?" Abi asked, "Adding to your tally of courtrooms conquered each week?"

Instead of laughing like Abi, Kate let her eyes drop; she knew what her dream had always been, and so did Abi. She wasn't sure who would be more devastated that she wasn't living it.

"I ended up going into the police force," Kate explained, "I'm now a Homicide Detective at the 12th precinct."

"Oh, wow," Abi exclaimed, her eyes wide as she shook her head, "we've been working in the same circle and we've never crossed paths."

"I don't have very much to do with the FBI unless they step in on a case," Kate said, "I've only worked with one Special Agent before."

"Sorenson?" Abi asked, hopeful that it _wasn't_ him, but she knew it was too much of a coincidence; Castle had asked her about him just last week.

"Yeah, actually, how'd you know?"

"Castle asked me if I knew him, and I remember he mentioned he was working with a detective from the 12th," Abi explained, "never said who though."

"That's crazy," Josh interjected, "that you guys were so close to one another but never come face to face."

Abi shrugged, "That's New York City for you."

"So where have you been living?" Kate asked, glancing sideways at Johanna who was fiddling with a menu before she looked back to Abi across the table.

"Uh, we live in Chelsea," Abi said, turning to her father, "do you still live in the West Village, Dad?"

Jim, who was visibly overwhelmed by the proximity of his youngest daughter to himself, nodded slowly, stuttering as he tried to speak.

"Uh, yeah, I – I do, but uh," he explained quietly, "same apartment and everything."

Abi nodded gently, eyes gazing downward, a deep, shaky breath preceding the rogue tear that fell down her cheek.

"I used to, uh," she began quietly, fiddling with her serviette, eyes still down, "I used to sit at the park across the street every time I came to the city –"

"You mean you've been back?" Kate interrupted, "You've been _right_ there this whole time?"

"Why didn't you say something, Abi?" Jim asked, "Why didn't you come home?"

"I wanted to, Dad, I did," Abi replied, tears on her cheeks, "but I was scared."

"What, that we'd moved on?" Kate said quietly, "Abi, we never –"

"No, no, it wasn't that," Abi interrupted, "I was afraid of –"

She stopped, looking sideways to Josh, who seemed to read Abi's mind, as he began to stand, reaching down to take Cris from his place.

"Hey, Johanna, Cris and I are gonna go get a drink, would you like to come?" he asked, the young girl nodding and standing silently. Kate gave her daughter's arm a squeeze, leaning down to leave a soft kiss on her cheek before Johanna was following Josh and Cris.

Once they were out of earshot, Kate and Jim turned back to Abi on the other side of the table, who was still twiddling her fingers nervously.

"What were you afraid of, Abi?" Kate asked quietly, her hands joining in front of her, the mannerism one all the Becketts were guilty of.

Reaching up, Abi wiped the tears gently from her face, peering around the restaurant; it wasn't too busy today, but she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I was afraid that…that the man who tore us apart would come back," Abi explained quietly, "he told me that that night never happened, and if I ever told anyone…"

Her sobbing increased, her eyes dropping, still unable to meet those of her estranged family. Both Kate and Jim reached a hand across the table, enclosing Abi's between them, both sets of eyes glistening as they paused, waiting for her to continue.

"He said if I ever told anyone," she added, "my family would be the first to pay."

Abi's shoulders shook, as she used her free hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks, looking back to her father and sister.

"What changed your mind?" Kate asked, glancing sideways to see her daughter returning with Josh and Cris. Abi's eyes flashed in that direction too, her tears subsiding, composure returning as she shrugged, a small smile reaching across her face.

"He only said I couldn't tell you," Abi said, eyes still on her son, who was waving excitedly at her whilst bounding over followed by Josh. As she offered a wave in return, she turned back to Kate and Jim, smiling, "He never said I couldn't find you."

The three exchanged smiles, their hands slowly releasing one another as they settled back into their seats, just in time for the return of Josh, Cris and Johanna.


	27. Lunch Ch27

**We needed some more Jo. Her appearance has been slightly limited in chapters lately. This must be rectified!**

** X**

"Mom, I'm going to be late!" Johanna exclaimed, standing at the front door, bag in hand, puffing her hair out of her face as she heard the clambering of her mother in the next room. It was abnormal for Kate to be running late for things, particularly taking Johanna to school or starting work herself. Johanna suspected it might have something to do with the fact she had a day off, or perhaps it was because she was going to lunch with her sister again.

"I'm here, I'm ready," Kate exclaimed, rushing out of the hall and toward the front door, haphazardly grabbing a jacket and keys on her way out. Johanna already had the door held open for her, watching her fumble with her keys as the young girl stepped out and gently shut the door.

"I'll go press the elevator button," Johanna murmured, as Kate scrambled to get the key in the lock, somewhat distracted. Her mother shook her head, shaking the door to be sure it was locked, before heading for the fire door, grabbing Johanna's hand as she went.

"No time, we'll take the stairs –"

"Mom!"

"Come on!"

Groaning, she grudgingly followed her mother down the stairs, watching her take them two at a time when they finally burst out the ground level door.

"Mom, we're not _that_ late!" Johanna grumbled, sighing as she threw her bag in the back seat of the car, rolling her eyes at Kate's scolding insistence.

"We will be if we hit peak hour traffic," Kate muttered, turning the key in the ignition, the car sputtering unwillingly to life, her hand reaching over to turn the radio up to hear the morning traffic report.

"Mom, this is New York City," Johanna exclaimed, "There's _always_ peak hour traffic!"

Rather than respond, Kate turned her focus to the road, pulling away from the curb and heading west along 7th street, turning left at 2nd avenue and then again at 4th street. Johanna sat beside her, humming along complacently to the radio, the trip to school taking only a few minutes.

"Hey, Mom?" she began, looking up from her hands in her lap Kate, who was peering the kerbside for a parking space, something that was virtually impossible at this time of the morning, "Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous," Kate replied quickly.

"Liar."

"Jo, go to school."

"But seriously, Mom, you haven't been this nervous since your date with Castle," Johanna reasoned, as her mother's head flung toward her, mouth ajar in disbelief.

"It was _not_ a date and I am _not_ nervous," Kate bit back, "at all."

Johanna raised an eyebrow, watching her mother turn off the engine and pull the keys from the ignition, sliding them into her pocket as she leaned back, ruffling her hair with a sigh.

"Okay, first of all," Johanna began, holding up a finger to Kate as she spoke, "it _was_ a date, me and Lanie have already discussed this –"

"Lanie and _I_," Kate corrected, an action which earned her a glare from her daughter.

"See!" Johanna cried after a moment's deliberation, "You _do_ love Castle, you're blurting all the same things he does!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"I'm not arguing with you about this –"

"Then I win, you love him!"

"Johanna, that's enough –"

"Kate and Richard sitting in a tree –"

"Oh, don't you even think about finishing that –"

" G!"

Kate huffed inwardly to herself, looking away from a smug Johanna, who was internally cheering in victory. She would _not_ admit that her mind momentarily wandered when her daughter mentioned herself and Castle kissing…

"Hello, Mom?"

She was snapped out of her lapse by a small hand waving in front of her face, which was met with a smirk when she turned back again.

"And besides, you're only nervous because you're seeing Abi today," Johanna added, "and you only get nervous when you're dealing with someone you care about a lot."

Still unable to properly comprehend her daughter's insight, Kate let her gaze fall out the window onto the street. It was true, she was inevitably nervous to meet with her sister today. The last two times they'd met, she'd had Castle and her father to lean on; this time, it was just the two of them, and they'd planned a trip to the cemetery. Kate figured it was only fair that Abi get to pay her respects to their mother.

"Okay, fine, you're right," Kate admitted, "I am nervous, but you know what?"

Johanna turned to her, excitedly intrigued, almost exploding from her seat as she replied, "What?"

"It's time for you to go to school!" Kate exclaimed, reaching across the car to open the door, grinning wickedly at her glaring daughter, who climbed reluctantly out of the car.

By the time she turned around again, Johanna had a smile on her face, leaning back into the car hastily to plant a kiss on Kate's cheek.

"Bye Mom, have fun with Aunt Abigail!" she added, retreating from the car, "Love you!"

"Love you too, munchkin," Kate replied, "Don't get into too much trouble."

"I won't!" Johanna chortled, as she skipped, humming to herself, up the concrete steps into school.

Kate made yet another fold in the napkin she'd rescued from under her knife and fork, looking at the crumpled thing with sympathy, yet still letting it be ravaged by her grasp. She was admittedly quite early, but there was nothing like being punctual in Kate's world. And if Abi were anything like she was, she would come running in right on time, flustered and babbling apologies.

But, much to Kate's surprise, the young brunette stepped calmly into the restaurant only moments later, her hair pulled back into a low ponytail, her appearance neat and sophisticated. You would have thought Abi were closer to Kate's age than seven years her junior, her approach confident and carefree. Sometimes, Kate envied her sister's ability to disregard anxiety and nerves.

"Katie!" Abi greeted excitedly, stepping forward to wrap her now standing sister in a hug, "God, you look so nice!"

Blushing, Kate stepped back, an eyebrow raised, "Please, I threw this on in five minutes, you are the fantastic looking one!"

Flicking her hair playfully, Abi flashed a cheeky grin accompanied by a chuckle before she slowly settled into her seat.

"I _hope_ I look presentable, I have a court case at 3:30," Abi explained, reaching for a menu as she gazed quizzically at Kate's shaking head, "What?"

"This is only the third time I've seen you again since you were eleven years old," Kate began, her eyes dropping, head shaking, "I'm still trying to get over the fact you're all grown up now."

A sincere grin spread across Abi's face as she shrugged lightly, "You were only nineteen when Mom died – it's nice to see you grew out of your awkward phase."

"Hey!"

Abi returned a chuckle, reaching out to pour herself a glass of water as Kate glared.

"No, you're looking good Katie," Abi added, "you and Dad both. And I have to say, Johanna is absolutely beautiful."

Kate's eyes dropped again, as her cheeks turned a more furious shade of pink, leaving Abi grinning to herself.

"She looks just like her too," the younger Beckett added quietly, still grinning, "you picked the right name."

Her eyes lifting, Kate smiled wholeheartedly at her sister, her hands still fumbling with the napkin that had more creases in it than moments ago.

"You have no idea how many times Dad has told me that," she added with a small chuckle, "but for the record, Cris is the most adorable little boy I've ever seen."

A proud grin spread across Abi's face at the mention of her son, an irreplaceable glint in her eye, "Yeah; that kid's got us wrapped around his little finger."

Smirking, Kate watched the all too familiar glow fill up her younger sister's expression, before she received a quick glare and a chuckle. She couldn't quite place whether this situation was incredibly awkward or incredibly familiar; she hoped it was the latter of the two.

Before she could figure it out, however, a phone jingle split the air, as Abi reached embarrassed into her jacket pocket.

"Winters," she answered, flashing a helplessly apologetic face at Kate, who returned a knowing grin; she herself had been called away to work on many an occasion.

"Yeah, okay, I'll be – no, today was my day off, well supposed to be – yes, I know I have the court case – fine, send me the e-mail and I'll get back to ASAP – okay, bye."

Slamming her phone shut, Abi threw it on the table, puffing out her lips in an aggravated sigh as she leaned back, stretching upward in an attempt to relax herself.

"Work?" Kate asked, receiving an affirming eye roll from Abi.

"It was _supposed_ to be my day off, aside from the court case I mean, and of course they call me in!" Abi whined, "It's just my luck."

"Oh, it's just so tough being you," Kate mocked, grinning at Abi's glare, "but don't worry; I know how you feel, I always get called in on a moment's notice."

"That's what you get for being New York's finest," Abi chortled.

Reaching out for a slap, Kate took a swipe at Abi, who ducked momentarily, poking her tongue out with a chuckle.

"Listen, bully," Abi began, smiling brightly at the approaching waiter, "I only have time for a quick munch, I gotta head back to the office."

Kate tilted her head, confused, "I thought you told your boss you were headed over now?"

"The FBI building is like, two blocks away," Abi reasoned, "I'll just tell them I was on the other side of the city. What they don't know won't hurt them."

"What, that you were bunking off work to have lunch with your sister?"

"A sister that should be grateful for my sense of duty toward her over the greater good of the city."

"Oh, gee, I'm flattered."

"As you should be."

"Waiter!"

** X**

**Apology for this taking forever to write; I just honestly have not had any spark of inspiration whatsoever, and it has finally hit me on my stint at home as the sick kid. Yay! **

**Kayla x**


	28. Blast From The Past Ch28

"Mom, what's for dinner?"

"I don't know, Jo," Kate replied exasperatedly, as she began to remove the groceries from the cart and put them on the conveyor.

Johanna stood alongside, checking the items on the list with what was being stacked, gasping momentarily.

"Mom, we didn't get any bread!"

Groaning, Kate looked from the empty trolley to the cashier, who had already begun to scan her things.

"Do you want me to go get it?" Johanna asked, already handing over the pen and shopping list to Kate, who flashed a grateful smile.

"Yes, thank you sweetie!"

Running off, Kate ran her hands through her hair, sighing as she did, massaging her temples to alleviate some of the tension in her forehead. This week had been an incredibly long and difficult one. Although she'd been given the Sunday off, one day didn't make up for six twelve hour days. The case they'd just closed had taken everything out of Kate and her Homicide team at the 12th, leaving them with the day off.

Before she could begin to contemplate the lazy evening she was planning, she was distracted by a voice calling her from the adjacent register.

"Kate?"

Looking up, she gasped, eyes wide, as she took in the image of the man who had spoken her name. He was tall, around 6'3", dark auburn to brown hair atop his head that accentuated his perfectly blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans and a plain blue shirt, his biceps bulging out of the short sleeves as he gazed at her in as much disbelief as she was giving out.

"Kate Beckett?"

The repetition of her name snapped her out of her daydream, her reply stuttered and confused. _Dammit Kate_!

"Uh, yeah, that's, uh…that's me…" she murmured.

Holding out his hand, she took it, feeling his obvious and immense strength in the forceful shake that followed.

"Brad, Brad Tompkins," he began, the name sparking something in the very back of her mind, "we were friends about…wow, must be almost ten years ago now."

Her head absent-mindedly tilted in confusion, as she attempted to piece together the facts, that's what she was good at. Almost ten years ago meant just after her mother was murdered. The chances of her remembering any exact details from that time were extremely low. At the same time, there was something about this Brad Tompkins that was just so familiar to Kate. Her eyes were continually drawn to his, their bright, vibrant, intense blue. Oh, there were _many_ words to describe the lusciousness of his eyes, his physique, that goofy, diagonal grin.

"You don't remember me, do you?" he added with a smile, a glint in his eye that was just…so.

Unable to speak, her mouth still gaping, she shook her head.

"We met in college," he continued, "we were - what was it? Oh yeah, 'party buddies'."

Kate's eyes widened noticeably, causing Brad to chuckle to himself quietly. Kate immediately remembered exactly who he was, and quite frankly, she wasn't sure whether she was nervous or happy about this little reunion. Fortunately, as the tension in the situation was rising steadily as the moments went on, she figured she could let herself enjoy meeting her 'party buddy' again after so many years. Truthfully, they had been good friends.

"Of course, Brad, it's so good to see you!" Kate gushed, her face breaking into a smile as she reached forward, both embracing one another momentarily before stepping back.

"And you too, Kate," Brad added, grinning lopsidedly, "you're looking good."

Blushing with a grin, Kate let her eyes fall to her still moving groceries and back to Brad, "Yeah, you too."

"So, what have you been doing with yourself lately?" Brad asked, leaning easily against the conveyer, arms crossed as he grinned. God, Kate could _not_ take her eyes of those biceps, or that grin. Or the man at all, really, if she were being honest.

"Well, I went into law enforcement after we, uh…"

"Parted ways?" Brad offered, as a nervous Kate laughed uneasily, and nodded, continuing.

"So, yeah, uh, I'm currently working at the 12th precinct of the NYPD as a homicide detective," she finished with a nod, as Brad gave a hearty nod of approval.

"Well, I'm shocked we haven't crossed paths since college, Kate," he began, "I hit up the fire department after I flunked out of my medical degree, and been there ever since."

_Well, that explains the biceps…_

"Oh, wow, that's, uh, wow…good for you," Kate replied, as a small voice and pattering feet broke between the awkward silence that had erupted.

"Mom, I got the bread for you," Johanna said, running to the front of the conveyer belt and placing it beside the rice. The young girl turned back to her mother, and her eyes finally fell on her company.

"Oh, hello there," Johanna greeted brightly, a smile on her face as she moved up beside her mother, "I'm Johanna."

Brad was at a loss for words, either at the exuberance of Johanna or at the sheer existence of her.

"Oh yeah," Kate added with a chuckle, "did I mention I have a daughter?"

"That's me!" Johanna cried, popping her hand in the air as she grinned.

"Well, uh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Johanna," Brad replied, returning the young Beckett's bright grin.

"Excuse me, miss," came the voice of the cashier, who was flagging Kate to pay for her groceries. As she stepped up to do so, Brad followed, his milk, bread and vegetables taking only a small space on the conveyer belt.

"Listen, Kate," he began, his hand falling gently on her arm, an act that left the butterflies in a frenzy in her stomach, "If you're not doing anything, would you like to grab a coffee?"

"Oh, Brad, that's really nice of you, uh –"

"She'd love to!" Johanna exclaimed, "Since it's her day off and all, she doesn't have much else to do."

"Fantastic!" Brad exclaimed, pulling his phone out and looking away momentarily, giving Kate time to glare at her daughter, who was looking immensely proud of herself.

"Well, listen, since we've both got our groceries, maybe we can make it around lunch time?" Brad suggested, "I mean, if that's alright with you."

Kate grinned, suddenly giddy at the prospect of her lunch – well, it wasn't really a date, was it? It was coffee.

"Sure, that sounds great," Kate agreed, pulling her phone out of her pocket as well, Johanna standing beside her, looking _extremely_ pleased.

In a quick moment, the two adults swapped numbers and agreed on a 1 o'clock meet at a coffee shop just around the corner.

"Well, Kate Beckett, I'll see you then," Brad added as they stepped onto the street, "And Little Beckett, it was a pleasure to meet you."

"Bye Brad!" Johanna cried, waving excitedly, before Kate gave her arm a tug back toward the car.

"Johanna Abigail Beckett, you are so grounded!"

** X**

"I'm not changing, Lanie, it's just a _coffee date_!"

"With a _hot fireman_!"

"So?"

"Katherine Beckett!" Lanie began, raising her finger accusatorily, "There is _never_ a reason to say 'So?' to a hot fireman!"

"Lanie –"

"A fireman whom you admit to having a little somethin' somethin' with in college!"

"_Lanie_!"

"What?"

"Johanna is in the next room!" Kate whispered, as Lanie shook her head.

Kate hadn't intended on getting a lecture from Lanie the minute she told her she was going for coffee with an old college friend, she just needed someone to watch Johanna for a couple of hours.

"But seriously, Kate," Lanie began, "I've never seen you this turned around over a guy since Castle started working at the 12th."

"It's not just any guy though," Kate murmured, her eyes falling, her face with them, as Lanie's expression too became solemn.

"Kate, come on, are you sure it's him?" Lanie asked, watching her best friend sit uneasily on her bed, sighing.

Shaking her head, Kate didn't speak straight away. When she thought about it, Brad was as much a contender as anybody else she'd been, well, 'seeing' at the time. He was just so familiar to her…

"It was a long time ago, and it was a, uh, difficult time…" Kate murmured, shaking the memories of the time after her mother's death from her head. Granted, she hadn't exactly taken it well, but many hadn't expected her to go the way she did. Looking back on it now, neither did she.

"How much did he mean to you?" Lanie asked, "Back then?"

For the first time since they began discussing Brad, Kate's eyes lifted to meet Lanie's. It was a valid question; how much _did_ he mean to her? Did he still mean something to her? _Could_ he still mean something to her?

"He was the one of the only things that kept me going," Kate said in a whisper, "the only thing that would make me keep going every morning. Granted, a lot of the time he was the reason I woke up with a headache the next day."

"Kate Beckett, the party animal?" Lanie scoffed, "I don't believe it!"

Laughing along with Lanie, Kate shook her head to herself as she let other things run through her mind.

"But it doesn't really matter how much he _meant_," Kate said, her hands fiddling with the tassels of her coat.

Lanie let an eyebrow raise as she looked Kate up and down, a hint of enquiry in her gaze.

"Lanie, think about it," Kate began, "he's got the same hair, the same eyes, the same personality –"

"As who?" Lanie interrupted, now looking immensely confused by where Kate was headed with this conversation. However, the brunette woman opposite her did not look confused, in fact, she looked quite serious.

"As Johanna."

** X**

**So, I found this amongst my plot-bunnies-that-I'm-not-up-to-in-the-story-yet section, and figured here would be a good place to put it in. And, yes, two chapters in one night, yay me!**

**Hopefully there should be more chapters in my other stories as well as this tomorrow; I'm sick and plan on spending a majority of my day in bed. **

**Kayla x**


	29. Coffee and Candy Ch29

**I'm trying my best to keep up. I really am. **

** X**

In the end, Kate had changed her blouse and her jacket, much to Lanie's pleasure. Johanna was more than eager to push her mother out the door as well, which left Kate wondering whether or not it was a good idea to leave her with Lanie again.

Still, Kate had felt in much brighter spirits since she'd agreed to meet for coffee with Brad. It had actually compelled her to go through the crazy photos she had from that time. The ones that Johanna would _never_ see. Ever.

Her phone in her pocket startled her, reaching for it quickly as she scanned the intersection she'd arrived at. The café was just across the street, and looked rather adorable if Kate were being honest. A grin slid across her face as she crossed, her phone almost forgotten in her hand until it began to ring again. She hoped with all her might that it wasn't the precinct; she didn't feel like going into work today.

To her surprise, it was Brad, and her gut dropped. _He's cancelling, I'll bet,_ Kate thought to herself as she put on her game face and answered.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Kate, it's Brad, uh…are you on your way to the café already?" Brad asked, scratching his head as he pondered._

"Uh, I've just crossed the street and I'm about to head in the door," she replied, half amused, half concerned, "Why, you miss me already?"

Wow, that had come out flirtier than she'd meant for it to be…

Yet, she took the light chuckle on the other line as a good sign, and, as she approached the glass door of the small café, had cause for laughter herself.

"_Well, uh, maybe that's the case, but, really I just wanted to order your coffee before you got here, but, uh, I realized I don't actually know what it is you drink…" he babbled_.

Shaking her head, Kate saw Brad at a table by the window, leaving the phone by her ear, but choosing not to reply. Brushing past, she gave a gentle rap on the glass with her knuckles, startling him. There was an audible gasp on the phone, before it turned into a light-hearted laugh.

"_Always the startler, Katie_."

With a quiet chuckle and bashful gaze down, she ended the call, pushed the door aside and stepped into the café.

It was pleasantly warm inside, with an aroma of coffee beans, freshly baked breads and the quiet chatter of its patrons talking. Kate made her way to the counter, ordering her usual coffee, before heading over to an eagerly waiting Brad.

"So, Kate," he started, as she took her seat, "anything interesting happen in the few hours since I last saw you?"

Kate was aware of the glint of genuine interest in his eye, as well as the underlying tone of humor in his words. She was momentarily stuck for words, and, as she took in a sharp, cool breath, she realized she was frozen in her spot. Why, though, she wasn't sure.

"Aside from my daughter basically pushing me out the door?" she began, chuckling, fiddling with the lid on her coffee, "Not a whole lot."

Flashing his pearly whites, Brad took a moment to recall the image of the bright little girl who was all confidence and smiles and grinning eagerness to send her mother to lunch with him. He had to admit, he owed his current smile to that little girl.

"She's a little ray of sunshine," he added, "and, she got your good looks; bet she charms everyone you talk to in the grocery store."

Kate smirked, shaking her head at the observation of her daughter's charisma; true, it was usually Johanna who eased the tension in situations with her undeniable character and bright smile. Kate was ever thankful for a little girl like her, and she was sure Johanna didn't mind the compliments either.

"Yeah, she's, uh," Kate began, her eyes falling, fiddling with a bracelet before she looked up again, "she's something."

"I think we probably owe our coffees to her actually," Brad said, chuckling as he spoke, "speaking of which, I know this great candy shop in the neighborhood that sells all the good stuff."

She couldn't help the smile that came over her as she watched an excitable grin spread over Brad's face, not that she could blame him; candy was pretty great.

"All the good stuff?" Kate asked, a pang of excitement in her stomach; it had been a _long_ time since she'd treated herself to some sugary goods, let alone her daughter, "Well, we might just have to make a pit stop there, won't we?"

Brad's face exploded into glee as he adjusted himself proudly in his seat, clearing his throat importantly as he downed the last of his coffee.

"Although," he began, leaning forward onto his elbows, Kate mimicking from her side of the table as he continued, "I think we should probably take Johanna with us; if she lives up to her age, she'll have our heads for going to a candy store without her."

Chuckling as her face spread into a larger than usual grin, Kate shrugged, thinking about her daughter currently in the capable yet crazy hands of her best friend. Actually, speaking of Lanie, she'd probably be uncontainable if she were to see Kate and Brad taking Johanna for a candy store excursion. And of course, she'd have thousands of questions to answer when she went back to work tomorrow.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind a trip if it involves candy," Kate replied, still absent-mindedly grinning as she downed the last of her coffee and checked her phone briefly for any messages. Sure enough, there was an inquisitive one from Lanie, which she chose to ignore; she'd be seeing her soon enough anyway.

"Well, perhaps we should go and pick her up and head on over, because…" Brad started, quickly checking his watch, "…the store closes in an hour."

Kate nodded as she stood, Brad following suit as he sculled the remnants of his latte and dropped the cardboard cup in the trash.

"Well, how about I go and pick up Johanna real quick then meet you there?" Kate suggested, feeling about inside her coat for her keys, "because if you're talking about the store I think you're talking about, it's just down the street from my place."

With a quick nod, Brad smiled and held an arm out, guiding her outside, his blue eyes following her flowing brown hair as she walked. He wasn't going to deny that he had missed that woman in the ten years it had been since they had last seen each other. Her maddening beauty, fantastic sense of humor and her deep immersion in emotion had left him speechless the first time around, but now, especially as she was seemingly happier than she had been in 1999, it was even more extreme.

"Okay, well, uh…I'll see you soon then," Brad added, pulling his keys from his pocket and heading slowly down the street, not able to tear his eyes from Kate until she too had waved and was no longer looking his direction.

Kate was delving inside her jacket for her keys, knowing that he would still be looking if she were to turn around again. She waited until she reached the intersection, disguising her looking back at Brad with checking that all the cars had in fact stopped. She watched his tall, muscular frame walk toward the opposite street corner, and pause momentarily, his torso turning back toward her. In that moment, when his blue eyes twinkled and a grin spread across his face, she knew she was busted. But, at the same time, as she shook her head and chuckled, stepping out to cross the street, she knew he had been caught out looking back at her too.

** X**

"I wasn't expecting you back so soon," Lanie exclaimed, unable to keep the tone of disappointment out of her voice, as she paused to stand with Kate in her building's lobby.

"Yeah, Mom, what'd you do, scare him away?" Johanna teased, giggling at her mother's narrowed eyes.

"Be good missy, or you won't be coming with me," Kate replied, Johanna's eyes both lighting up with excitement yet searching for explanation at the same time. Though, due to her abrupt silence, Kate figured the excitement overrode the latter for the moment.

"Actually, we're meeting up at the candy store down the street –"

"The one that has all the Wonka candy?!" Johanna cried, her hands clasped under her chin as she bounced in her spot, trying her hardest not to explode out of her skin.

"Yes, that one," Kate answered, smiling inwardly as she turned back to Lanie, "but we thought Johanna would want to come."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Johanna exclaimed, "I do, I do!"

Chuckling, Lanie quickly pulled an excitedly distracted Johanna into a hug before she headed for the building doors.

"Have fun, sweetie," she said, offering a wave, Kate pulling an eagerly chattering Johanna after Lanie on their way out, "But not too much fun!"

"Lanie!"

"Bye Lanie!" Johanna called after her, watching her mother's best friend walk down the street to her car, as she and Kate turned the opposite direction toward the candy shop.

Since moving to the East Village when Johanna was 4, Kate had taken her daughter here on many occasions. It was usually a place of reward or for 'special' circumstances. Johanna's first time here was after her first day in elementary school, and the time after that was after her first ballet recital when she was 6. The last time Kate could remember bringing her here was with her father after a public speaking competition Johanna had entered. Jim was insistent that she would need cheering up after coming in 2nd, and not 1st, despite his granddaughter's conversation that the girl who came ahead of her was deserving of her place.

"Hey, Mom, why did you come get me before you and Brad came here?" Johanna asked, peering past Kate to try and find the neon lit sign further down the street. Beside her, she felt her mother pull her a little closer as they wandered past a few crowded stores, an alley way and across the street ahead before she answered.

"We just thought you might like to join us," Kate said, "I mean, come on, you'd be pretty cranky if I came home with goodies and you didn't get any."

With a grin and a nod, Johanna settled with a sigh into her mother's side, an arm reaching around her side and resting on her hip, Kate's arm slumped over Johanna's shoulder. She could see the bright green and pink flashing sign just down the street, and could feel her excitement mounting with each step closer she took.

"So, when you say, 'we', you and Brad _both_ decided this?" Johanna asked, her curiosity evident and ultimately getting the better of her, as Kate's hazel eyes peered down at her.

"Well, it was Brad's idea," her mother replied, looking back down at Johanna whose face was now spread into a full grin.

"Well I think that Brad has _very_ good ideas!"

** X**

**Sorry this took so long to get up, but I had basically no inspiration for it for quite some time, and I don't believe in writing when I'm so not in the mood (unless its essays, in which case I write as much as I can make up on a double espresso and packets of skittles). **

**But never fear, I will be going into the Brad/Kate relationship (don't freak out at the word relationship, it has multiple meanings. Go google it.) and also the interactions between Johanna and Brad. **

**Again, apologies for the length of time this took.**

**Kayla x**


	30. The Good Morning Visitor Ch30

**Inspiration has struck, and I find that I'm currently on a little bit of a roll (hopefully I haven't spoken too soon). Really, I should be studying for my Italian exam, but hey, I think Castle takes the cake on my list of things I want to do. **

** X**

The sound of the shower turning on woke Johanna quite early the next morning, much to her dismay. Last night, she hadn't exactly gone to sleep early, her mother blaming it on the large amount of candy she'd eaten before dinner, keeping her up well past midnight.

Despite this, Johanna pulled herself out of bed slowly, shuffling her way past the closed bathroom door and into the living room. She flicked the TV on to the morning cartoons, leaving it playing in the background as she headed toward the kitchen, moving about to prepare her breakfast. Taking a sideways look at the clock, she realized it was earlier than her mother would normally be getting ready for work.

_Must be a murder,_ she thought to herself, chuckling through a yawn at the television as she poured a bowl of cereal. As she put the box of Cheerios back in the cupboard, a knock at the door startled her. She knew it couldn't be Brad; he had had to go to work for night shift last night. Stifling yet another yawn, she made for the door, pausing as she reached over for the keys and put an ear to the door.

"Who is it?" she called, the peephole being still a few feet out of her reach to check.

"Castle," came the all too familiar voice, leaving a grinning Johanna scrambling to open the door, "and I come bearing coffee and banana bread!"

Wrenching the door open, Johanna couldn't help but beam at the mystery whom stood before her, albeit still looking half asleep.

"Morning Castle!" she exclaimed, stepping aside and letting him in, closing the door carefully and locking it again after him, "Are you and Mom going on a case?"

"As a matter of fact we are," he began, taking a look around the small apartment with a smile. It was very…Beckett. It was simplistic, yet modern, clean enough to be tidy for guests, but just messy enough that it was perfectly lived in. AS his eyes drifted to the far wall, he took a few steps closer to marvel at the large, white-framed portrait that covered most of the space between the windows.

It was a younger Johanna, maybe five or six, her arms wrapped around Kate's neck from atop a park bench. Both had their hair out in their natural, brunette waves, their faces made-up to appear as perfect as porcelain, dressed in jeans and matching, powder blue blouses. It looked almost professional, but at the same time, it appeared to be a spur of the moment photograph, a moment where they both happened to be looking at the camera. Still, Castle couldn't deny the grin it brought to his face; it reminded him of a similar portrait of himself and his daughter.

"You like our picture?" Johanna asked, now having returned to the kitchen to pour some milk over her Cheerios before she headed back to the living room, plonking herself down on the couch.

Nodding slowly, he continued his scan of the photos that adorned the cabinets and shelves in the living room as Johanna let out a quiet chuckle.

"I'll just go tell Mom you're here," Johanna murmured, leaving her cereal on the coffee table then skipping down the hall, Castle still perusing the family photos.

Reaching the bathroom door, she could no longer hear the shower running, but the sound of the hair dryer. Knocking gently on the door, she pushed it slowly open to find her robe-clad mother at the mirror.

"Hey, Jo, what's up?" she began, switching the hair dryer off momentarily and leaving it beside the sink, tousling her hair quickly with a sigh.

"Uh, I just thought you might like to know that, uh –"

"Spit it out, Jo," Kate interrupted with a laugh.

"Castle's here," Johanna blurted, "He's in the living room. He brought you coffee."

"_What?!_" Kate cried, her jaw dropping, eyes darting in the direction of the living room and back to Johanna, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Johanna raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing in confusion, "Because he only just got here, but I'm pretty sure I just _did_ tell you, Mom."

"Well, then…why did you let him in!?" Kate scolded, "You knew I was in the shower!"

"Relax, Mom!" the young girl coaxed, "He's busy looking at the photos in the living room, you've got time to get dressed."

"That is _so_ not the point, and Johanna Abigail Beckett you are so grounded!"

With that whispered scolding, Johanna was turned by the shoulder and pushed back into the hallway, Kate muttering under her breath as she did so.

"Now go and get ready for school!"

** X**

"I _really_ don't get why it's such a big deal, Mom," Johanna moaned, standing in the doorway of Kate's bedroom, watching her pick out her coat and shoes for the day.

"It's a big deal because it's…it's just…inappropriate, that's why," Kate explained, "He is my partner at _work_, and I don't appreciate the house calls –"

"Would Brad come and bring you coffee each day before work?" Johanna asked, crossing her arms, lips pursed in a kind of amusement.

"Jo," Kate began, walking over and squatting down to be at her daughter's height, "first of all, both Brad and Castle are _just friends_ –"

"Yeah, course they are –"

"_Johanna_!"

"Sorry, Mom."

"Like I said, they're both just friends, and frankly, you're far too young to be concerning yourself with any sort of love life, let alone, mine," Kate finished, "besides, it's weird to get relationship advice from your 8 year old daughter."

"Fine then," Johanna sighed, turning to begin to head out of the room, "but I do have one last thing to say before you go to work."

"Oh yeah?" Kate replied, pulling a coat out of the closet and pulling it over her sweater, "What's that?"

Taking a moment before she spoke, Johanna turned back to her Mom, grinning, "Mommy and Castle, sitting in a tree!"

"You are so grounded!"

" G!"

"JOHANNA BECKETT!"

"Uh-oh, busted!" Castle chuckled, as Johanna came racing into the living room, collected her school bag then made for the door.

"See ya, Castle!" she said with a wave, "I gotta run or Mom will eat me!"

"Ooh, quick, here she comes!" Castle taunted playfully, Johanna giggling as she pulled the door open and headed out, calling to her mother as she left.

"Bye Mommy, I love you!"

Instead of receiving a similar reply, as Kate wandered into the living room she directed her best 'look' in Johanna's direction, eliciting a careful grin before her daughter ducked out the door to catch her bus.

"She is _so_ like you," Castle began, chuckling as he stood, yet being shocked to a standstill when Kate's eyes met his. If looks could kill, he wouldn't still be standing.

"So, uh, sorry for coming over unannounced, but Montgomery called and said it was important and that we _both_ needed to be there right away, and I was already up writing, so, I thought I'd save time by coming here, that way you wouldn't have to head all the way across town," Castle explained, yet he was still the victim of a death stare.

"You couldn't have called?" Kate exclaimed, "You couldn't have given some sort of warning that you were headed over?"

"I did call!" Castle erupted, "It went straight to voicemail!"

"Yeah, because that's useful," she muttered, shaking her head and snatching the coffee he was holding out, "Come on, we've got work to do."

"Hey, at least Johanna is on my side –"

"Shut up, Castle!"

** X**

**I'm kinda on a roll, but I felt I should stop it there before I launch on into other things. Not only that, the end of the chapter allows me to actually move onto other things. Like, maybe, ooh, I don't know…Suckerpunch?**

**I know, I'm a tease :p**

**Kayla x**


	31. Suckerpunch Pt 1

**So, here is the next Chapter – I know I said that **_**The Little Things**_** would be a Thursday fixture (if you didn't know this, check my profile [= ) but I'm on vacation and didn't get internet until now, so apologies.**

** X**

Castle followed Beckett into the newest crime scene, where Ryan, Esposito and Lanie were already working amongst a slew of uniforms. Stepping into one of the more gruesome crime scenes, Castle sighed, taking a reserved sip of his coffee, as he watched Beckett do her thing. And by 'her thing', he meant the way she circled the body, took in the crime scene at first glance before she asked questions. The way she tried to know her victim, but at the same time, stay distanced enough to be objective.

After a few moments, she turned to the others and began to ask her questions. Castle continued to stare at the bleeding body, which had more holes in it than Swiss cheese. He couldn't imagine having the anger – or the stomach, for that matter – to leave any person with that many stab wounds.

From the exchanges between the detectives and Lanie, it was discerned that the victim was Jack Coonan, a man who ran with the Westies. He was well armed too, having a rifle and hand gun on his person.

"Didn't even have time to pull it out," Castle mused, shaking his head, all eyes in the room on the victim.

"This guy was armed and ready," Beckett added, "whoever got him was very, very good."

"Ninja assassin," Castle put forward, taking a rather accomplished sip of his coffee as he did so, amidst the either rolling or amused eyes.

"Ninja assassin?" Ryan repeated with a chuckle, "Isn't that kinda redundant?"

Esposito, not content with being left out of the conversation, added, "Yeah, aren't all ninjas by definition assassins?"

"Fine, Webster and Roget," Castle rebutted, taking in a deep breath before continuing, "our ninja, assassin implied by definition, scales the building, slips in through this window and then hides himself."

Beckett and Lanie exchanged a look, while Ryan and Esposito looked simply amused as Castle kept going, "I don't know about – hey, look at this!"

Reaching out, Castle picked up a nearby DVD case, holding it up for the rest of the room to see.

"Our guy was a Johnny Vong fan!"

"Someone actually bought those tapes?" Esposito questioned, surprisingly amused at the prospect as Ryan took a differing approach.

"Who's Johnny Vong?" he asked, looking confused as he took the DVD case from Castle, who was taking the disc itself to the television, flicking it on while he and Esposito began to speak.

"Come on, you're kidding me," Esposito chided.

"Every insomniac in New York knows who Johnny Vong is," Castle added, pushing play on the DVD, "his infomercial runs all night."

The TV lit up, as the said infomercial began to play out on the screen, both Castle and Esposito were playfully mocking it, while Ryan was absolutely enthralled by what was before him.

"I'm sorry," Beckett interrupted, after Castle and Esposito had just finished a marvellous chorus moment to the infomercial, "do you guys mind if we finish dealing with the dead guy on the carpet?"

Esposito simply nodded, moving away to continue with work, while Castle moved to stop the DVD and put it back in its case much like a scolded child. Ryan, on the other hand, was completely distracted by the DVD, and once it was set down, he moved to pick it up again and stare at it for a few moments.

"Beckett, cell phone," Lanie spoke up, holding up the bagged yet decrepit phone for her colleague to see, "looks like it took a direct hit from the knife."

"Have Tech pull the SIM card," Beckett replied, "I wanna know who Coonan was talking to before he died."

Her eyes glanced through the room very quickly, and the person she found distracted was not in fact the mystery writer who she thought it would be.

"Ryan!"

"Huh?"

With a bashful nod, Ryan reluctantly replaced the DVD on the side to be kept as evidence, gave it a last, forlorn look, then returned to his notebook as he moved around the room.

** X**

Stepping of the elevator, Abi moved quickly through the maze of desks and smartboards to find herself in her office, a file already on her desk. Unsure of whether to groan or grin, she decided to simply take up the file and begin reading. At that point, she was glad she had, taking the file with her, reading as she went, she made her way back out into the bustling room, and straight over to the office of a fellow agent, Special Agent Logan Walker. When Abi was first assigned to work with Agent Walker, she was expecting a tall, broodingly handsome and tough guy, but was rather shocked to find that, although tall, handsome probably wasn't the best word to describe said agent. She was instead introduced to a dangerously attractive young woman, not much older than Abi herself, with blonde hair that was usually pulled back into a bun, striking blue eyes and had at least two inches on Abi. Despite her clean-cut appearance, Agent Walker was a kind-hearted woman, and seemed to be matched much better with a career in nursing or teaching in Abi's opinion. Still, she was a good agent, extremely intelligent and had had Abi's back on many an occasion.

"Morning Agent Walker," Abi greeted curtly, stopping just in front of the desk behind which a slightly surprised Agent Walker was sitting, "when did this come in?"

Holding up the manila folder, Agent Walker was quick to sit up straight, clear her throat and begin to speak.

"It came in this morning," she began, "seems the Westie guy who called in last week is dead."

"Inside hit for ratting out his bosses?" Abi offered, considering the nature of the call she received from the man last week.

"We don't know, but either way, it's not our case," Walker replied, "NYPD have jurisdiction since it's so far not a federal case. I just thought you'd like to know, since you were the one who took Jack Coonan's call. You seemed interested in what he'd have to say."

Nodding briskly, Abi spoke, "Yeah, he knew more than he was letting on, but like Agent Forrest said, chances are he was just trying to get protection for screwing over his bosses."

"True, but it would have been nice for him to live long enough so we could hear what he had to say," Walker said, "I mean, you never know, it could have been shocking."

"These damn murderers are just so inconvenient, aren't they?" Abi added with a smirk, chuckling briefly with her fellow agent before continuing, "but you're right, it could have turned up something other than the Westies."

"Let me guess, you want to stay in the know?" Walker asked.

Offering a knowing look, Abi gave a nod, "It's always good to stay informed, particularly when the victim has a background like this, you never know who could be after him."

"With a face like that, I'd be after him in a flash."

"Logan!" Abi exclaimed playfully, trying not to laugh as Agent Walker was across the desk, "You're married!"

"Doesn't mean you can't look," she reasoned, "just can't touch."

"Not that that's ever stopped you before," Abi added.

"Stop questioning my faithfulness and go do some work," Walker responded, laughter in her voice as she sarcastically flung her hair, which was out for once, over her shoulder in a huffed sort of manner.

Giving a quick salute, Abi turned on her heel and headed out of the office, "Yes, ma'am!"

As she went, she was having another quick read of the case file on Jack Coonan. He was 35, had been an enforcer for the Westies in Hell's Kitchen, no family other than a younger brother, Richard 'Dick' Coonan. He had priors, typical for a man involved with that crowd. Abi had had his call redirected to her when he contacted them, offering information, although, at the time, he said he couldn't say much until he'd found more evidence. Although Abi felt that his claims should be at let listened to, he was disregarded by her superiors, with sufficient reason too.

Reaching her office, she sighed as she moved around her desk and sank into her chair. Logging onto the computer, she made a point of trying to find out as much about Jack Coonan as possible, and perhaps even his brother. Background information on a victim never did hurt. She also thought it might be detrimental to give a certain sister of hers a quick call; you never know, Kate might just have been the one saddled with the Coonan case, and if she had, Abi would be one happy special agent.

** X**

**I will warn, a lot of this will go down much like in the episode, so assume that anything I leave out happened in exactly the same way as it did originally. **


	32. Suckerpunch Pt 2 Ch32

**Like I said, every Thursday (:**

**Plus, I'm in a writing mood, so you get another chapter (:**

** X**

So far, Beckett had found the investigation to be going nowhere. She'd spoken to Dick Coonan, who'd told her Jack's work with the Westies was most likely what killed him. She'd talked to Finn Rourke, who was adamant their victim was not killed by any of his people. And then there was Trucho, who they'd found being beaten up in Rourke's kitchen and who refused to speak. Although, being labelled the 'blade guy' for the Latin Kings, a trip to Lanie was in order to find out whether the switchblade they'd found was in fact the murder weapon. Much to Beckett's dismay, it wasn't the weapon, nor was Trucho the murderer, although she did note Lanie was not quite herself. She'd have to talk to her later after work.

The last thing Beckett had found out was the last of the calls Jack Coonan had made. It was much to everyone's surprise when they discovered that all of the numbers he called, albeit missing the last two numbers, were to the New York office of the FBI.

Lucky for Beckett, she just so happened to have a close contact within the FBI, and that particular contact had conveniently wanted to have lunch today.

As she made her way down the street to a local café, she wondered why Abi had wanted to have lunch. It might have been that they hadn't seen each other in a while, but from what she heard from very brief phone calls, she hadn't much time for anyone at the moment. Entering the café, she saw the young woman at a table for two in the corner, reading from a folder and sipping a coffee. Wandering over, it was clear she was entirely entrenched in her file.

"Abi!"

Her eyes popped up, and to Kate's dismay, they looked extremely tired, and had bags under them.

"Hey, Kate," Abi greeted with a taut smile, gesturing to the seat opposite her. She quickly closed the file and nudged it aside, offering a close-lipped smile to the approaching waitress, who took Kate's order and was off again.

"Working hard?" Kate offered, to which Abi nodded lamely.

"You were expecting a different answer?" she retorted with a chuckle, sharing a moment of light-heartedness with her sister.

"So, this is a mental break, then?"

At Abi's repressed sigh, Kate's face sank. It seemed difficult to pinpoint time with her sister these days that wasn't centred around work or unable to be arranged because of it.

"Not exactly," Abi began, crossing her hands in front of her and leaning forward, "Kate, are you on the Jack Coonan case?"

Taken aback, Kate simply nodded. Of all the things Abi could possibly be asking her about, she was asking her about this case? Coincidentally, it was the same case she was going to ask Abi about in return, but still; surely the FBI had something more pressing to do than eavesdrop on an NYPD investigation.

"Why?" Kate asked.

"Well, as I'm sure you'll know," Abi began, "Jack Coonan contacted the FBI in the days before his death. And I was the one who took his final call."

"What did he say?" Kate inquired, rather quickly.

"Kate, you know I can't disclose that," Abi replied, "but I will tell you it wasn't particularly useful. He said he would call again, with evidence of some sort, but I guess he never got around to it."

"Because he was stabbed to death before he could."

"Exactly."

The pause for silence after their quick exchange gave them both time to ponder what was said. Kate began to think that whatever Coonan was going to tell the FBI was what got him killed, however, since he never got around to telling them, she had no idea who or what it entailed.

"So, are you any closer to finding who killed Jack Coonan?" Abi asked, breaking the silence, sipping her coffee as she did so.

Puffing through her lips and shaking her head, Kate decided to wait for the just arrived waitress to leave again before she continued to speak.

"We're fairly certain we know why he was killed –"

"Because of his contact with us –"

"Exactly, but we don't know what that was."

"Have you talked to his brother?" Abi asked, little space between the starts and ends of their sentences.

"Yeah, we talked to him this morning, but he seems to think it was the Westies, who deny it."

"Course they would," Abi added with a smirk, "they don't get blood on their hands."

"But they do dole out punishment," Kate said, thinking back to Trucho.

"That they do," Abi agreed, "what's your next move?"

"Johnny Vong."

Abi stopped, trying not to laugh, putting her coffee gently down on the table, biting her lip.

"The guy who has taken over the infomercial time slot between midnight and 4am?" she questioned, chuckling, "What's he got to do with all this?"

"We're going to find out," Kate said, glaring at Abi, who was still chuckling quietly to herself.

"I can't believe that Vong guy is entwined in all this," she muttered, shaking her head at the ridiculousness.

"He has to be involved somehow," Kate explained, "Jack Coonan gave his girlfriend a bus locker key before he died, and the locker was filled with his DVDs."

Abi raised an eyebrow; Coonan hadn't exactly seemed like the Johnny Vong kind of guy.

"But here's the interesting part," Kate continued, "you wanna know what the cases were filled with?"

"Ooh, I don't know," Abi toyed, "maybe plastic?"

Kate shook her head, "Heroin."

Abi stopped. She'd heard through the grapevine that there was a new flush of heroin on the streets, but nobody could pinpoint where it was coming from or who was peddling it about.

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly."

"Wow."

"Mmhmm," Kate continued, "and there's no way Vong can't know about a transport of that magnitude in his products."

** X**

Beckett sat in the bullpen, her conversation with Johnny Vong leaving her frazzled and fairly agitated. He refused to give up the drug supplier, his fear overwhelming him. She had a pretty strong feeling in her gut that this supplier was the one who ultimately killed Jack Coonan.

Before she could think more, she looked up to see Lanie walking into the precinct, accompanied by another man whom she didn't know.

"Lanie?"

Standing, Beckett moved over to the solemn looking medical examiner, followed closely by Castle, who had been otherwise distracted beside her until now.

"What are you doing here?" Beckett asked, looking confused between the two grave people opposite her.

"Uh, it's about the Coonan case," Lanie explained, "this is Dr. Clark Murray, he's a forensic pathologist. I asked him to consult."

"I'm, uh, Detective Beckett, and this Richard Castle, the novelist –"

"Uh, we've met," Castle added awkwardly, thinking back to his own investigations earlier in the year.

They moved to convene in a nearby room, where Dr. Murray began to pull out a few pictures and files of what Beckett assumed to be evidence.

As they took their seats, he began to push the pictures across the table toward her, pointing out a few of the intricacies of the bruising patterns.

"Note the rectangular bruising around these wounds here and here," he began, "caused by the hilt of the knife striking with force enough to compress the skin."

"And as a result, the wounds penetrate deeper than the actual length of the blade," Kate added, Dr. Murray nodding in agreement.

"He's also honed the blade so fine it's brittle enough for bits to break when it strikes bone," he continued, "which is why slivers of blade were found inside both of his victims. We now know those slivers come from the same murder weapon."

"Wait," Beckett interrupted, "two victims? How many people has he killed?"

"Five," Lanie answered, "that we know of."

"So, we're looking at a serial?" Beckett asked.

They continued conversing, moving on to believe the murders were carried out by a contract killer with military training. Castle, however, could not take his eyes off Beckett, who, as conversations went on, began to be hit by the severity of what was being said.

"Detective Beckett," Dr. Murray began quietly, "there is no doubt in my mind that Jack Coonan was killed by the same man who murdered your mother."

** X**

After a curt and brimming on overly emotional conversation with Captain Montgomery, Kate was charging out of the precinct. She couldn't get away quick enough, but the first thing she did was pull out her phone. She first called her father. She found there wasn't much she could say to him, other than ask what he was doing tonight. They had arranged to meet at a diner at 9pm.

Next, she rang Abi, who answered almost immediately.

"_Winters."_

"Abi, it's Kate."

"_Katie, uh, hi," Abi began, closing the file that was in front of her, "Look, this really isn't a good time, I'm really busy and –"_

"Abi, it's about Mom."

There was silence on both ends for a moment, and Kate wasn't sure whether it was going to end or not.

"Dad and I are meeting tonight."

"_I'll be there."_

** X**

Johanna was dropped at Castle's for the night, and Kate was sitting outside the diner in her car, the rain falling outside. It had been years since anything connected to her mother's murder had crossed her desk. She wasn't entirely certain she was ready for this.

A rapping on her window caused her to look out, finding a coat-clad Abi standing there, waiting for her to get out. Slowly, she did, locking her car, then joining her sister as they walked across the street to the diner.

Stopping at the front door, they could see their father inside, and as Kate reached for the door handle, Abi stopped her. Looking into her sister's eyes, Kate saw the fear, the overwhelmed little girl inside who never had someone to share her horrors with.

"Kate, I don't think I can do this," she whispered, "I'm not ready."

Simply putting her own gloved hand into Abi's, Kate didn't smile, but looked deep into the fear and pain stricken eyes of her little sister, before pulling her gently into her, arms tight around the now shuddering body. Abi gave in to the emotion and the tire of the last few days, letting everything drop as she sobbed quietly into Kate's shoulder. She often told herself she was too old to cry, but knew that wasn't true.

Slowly releasing one another, the two gave each other one more glance, before the put on brave faces and headed into the diner.

Jim was concerned, of course, by the nature of Kate's call, but was delighted all the same to see his two girls.

"It's good to see you girls," he murmured, taking his seat opposite them. Kate let Abi in first, the young woman sliding across to the end of the booth, followed closely by Kate.

"It's good to see you too, Dad," Abi replied, offering a warm smile in his direction.

There was a moment of silence, in which Kate and Abi both looked opposite directions, while Jim stared at his hands. None were sure whether they were truly prepared for this conversation, but it was inevitable that they were to have it.

"So, uh," Jim began, breaking the silence, "what have you girls found?"

Abi continued to look away, her teeth attacking her bottom lip furiously as she fought back the still present tears. Kate gave a small shrug in response to her father, her head shaking.

"We don't know."

Jim looked between his daughters; Kate, controlled and strong, yet underneath, he knew she was hurting, while Abi was openly in pain, her eyes glazed and wet.

"But enough to scare you both," Jim stated, watching Abi's eyes continue to dart. Kate simply looked down, looking sideways every now and then, but continued to keep her gaze low.

"Yeah…" Kate murmured.

"You know, I didn't sleep that whole first year after you got out of the academy," he started, Kate watching as he recounted, Abi's eyes finally looking back to her father, "I would hear sirens in the night and picture off someplace. Some nights it would just swallow you whole, like –"

He stopped abruptly, looking to Abi, whose cheeks were tearstained, but she remained silent. Her own hand had found her sister's, and although Kate's grip was fairly loose, Abi's was gripping on as if she were to never let go.

"Dad, I don't wanna lose this one," Kate said quietly, her eyes boring into her father's, "I don't wanna lose it for you, or for Mom, or for Abi."

Looking down, she saw her sister's eyes drop again, and reached an arm over her shoulders, letting her lean into her side, holding her close. The last time they'd done this, Kate was 18 and Abi 11.

"Your mother always said that life never delivers anything that we can't handle," Jim started, "I mean, she lived by that; called it 'Johanna's Immutable Law of the Universe.' And for years, I thought she was wrong…because I couldn't handle losing her, or you, Abi. Now, I can almost hear her whisper, 'I told you so.'"

A grin spread across the faces of the girls opposite him as he spoke, Abi shaking her head lightly.

"Four of Mom's favorite words," Kate murmured.

"She was a devout believer in the truth," Jim said, "and if she were here right now, she'd tell you the truth can never hurt you."

Kate looked across the table at her father, a certain amount of pride swelling inside her. She knew where he'd been, where they'd both been, after her mother died and Abi taken, and it gave her hope that if they could make it through that together, they could make it through this.

Her only concern was the young girl sitting beside her, who, she supposed, had not yet been able to fully deal with what she was put through as a young girl. Being a Beckett, she tended to push things aside, as deep down as they would go until you couldn't feel them anymore.

"You know, this may be your mother's way of reaching out to you, girls," he continued, both pairs of green eyes on him, "and reminding you both that the truth is still your weapon to wield. Not theirs."

He offered a small, yet supportive smile in the direction of his two daughters, their eyes simply resting on him. Kate's arm was still draped over Abi's shoulders, while an arm of the younger girl had reached around her sister's waist. It was a beautiful sight for Jim, who never thought he would see his girls together again, let alone grown up and leading their own lives.

"We're gonna nail him, Dad," Abi whispered, reaching out across the table to grasp the hand of her father, squeezing it tight and receiving one in return, before retreating her hand.

"I'm sure you will, Abi," Jim said with a grin, "just, be careful, okay?"

"Always, Dad," Kate murmured, Jim's eyes falling as he nodded, her own gaze falling to Abi, who had now moved to sit up, and was gathering herself. She looked sideways at Kate, a newfound determination present in both of their eyes.

Kate moved to stand slowly, Abi following close behind, along with Jim, who ushered them outside gently. It had stopped raining for the moment, and the small family was able to say their goodbyes without getting drenched. As Jim wandered in the opposite direction to his car, Abi and Kate walked across the street, arms joined and hands shoved in their pockets.

"Katie?" Abi began, her voice small yet clear, "I…I think I can – well, _we_…I think we can do this."

Eyes lifting slowly until they met with matching ones, Kate saw the little 11 year old Abi again. The one who was so spritely determined and stubborn, and wouldn't stop until she had the answers she wanted. But she saw the one she had never known; the scared, traumatized child who had witnessed her own mother's murder and been ripped from her family.

"We will, Abi," Kate murmured, pausing beside her car as she turned to face her sister, hands resting on her shoulders, "not just for Mom, but for you."

** X**

After she'd left the diner and Abi, Kate knew where she was headed. It was surprising to her really, that the place she was going was where she immediately felt she needed to go for the support and help she needed. But at the same time, it wasn't at all a shock; he was always there, willing to help her when she was in need. It made sense.

She parked her car across the street, climbed out and walked briskly to the apartment block of Richard Castle. Taking the elevator to the penthouse, the fifteen seconds it took her were nerve-wracking, but at the same time she was building up the courage to say what she had to.

Stepping out onto the landing, she made for the door, pushing the doorbell instantly. From inside, she could hear giggling, a sound that brought an immediate smile to her face. The door opened, and a surprised yet pleased Castle was on the other side.

"Hey," Kate greeted.

"Hey," Castle replied, unsure of what to say next, "uh, come in."

"Thank you."

Before she could do much else but step over the threshold, Martha already had her arms clamped around her shoulders. It was a feeling that Kate couldn't describe, and at the same time, wasn't quite sure how to take it.

"Hang in there, kiddo," Martha assured, stepping back, taking a hold of Kate's shoulders, a gentle squeeze of support before she stepped back again.

"Leftovers in the fridge," she exclaimed, grabbing Alexis' hand, pulling her toward the staircase, "upstairs if you need us!"

With that, they disappeared, but not before Alexis gave a hasty report of Johanna, "She's in bed, but she's probably reading."

Once they were gone, Castle ushered Kate through into the living room, his hand on the small of her back going unnoticed for the moment.

"I will do anything that you need, including nothing," Castle began, "if that's what you want."

Turning to face the mystery writer, Kate found that saying to him in person was in fact much easier than it had been in her head.

"What I want is to find my mother's killer," she said simply.

"Well, we need to break Johnny Vong."

"So let's break him."

** X**

Sighing as she pushed the door open to her apartment, Abi threw her coat on the nearest dining chair and locked the door behind her. Heading for the kitchen first, she poured herself the glass of wine she knew she deserved, before grabbing her laptop from the bureau and plonking on the couch. She had some research to do, and knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until she did it.

A few moments after she began typing away in Google and various databases she had access to, a tall, brooding and groaning man came wandering out of her bedroom, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Well, good evening, Miss Winters," Josh murmured, taking a seat beside her, head resting on her shoulder.

"Good evening, Mr. Davidson," she whispered, turning to him just as his head popped up. A quick peck on the lips and they were back to their original positions, Abi typing away madly, and every now and then taking a sip of her wine.

"Aren't you supposed to be relaxing?" Josh began, siting up a little straighter, the light in the living room waking him up a bit, his arm draping over Abi as she stared at the little laptop screen.

"Somehow, honey, I don't think relaxation or even sleep are going to happen tonight," Abi replied.

"Come on, Abi, you've been running on fumes for days," Josh harangued, "you need some rest."

"No, what I need to do is bring a murder victim justice."

"At 11pm?"

"No time like the present."

"Come on, Abi –"

"Sh!" she demanded, her eyes darting across the computer screen frantically.

Her process of elimination told her that the only person in this case she didn't know anything about was Dick Coonan, the brother of the victim. She was lucky enough to have access to the FBI database, and had searched for him there. Having read all his details, he sounded like quite the man; had been in service to the country, worked to build schools in third-world countries…all in all, a pretty admirable guy. Clicking on his thumbnail and watching as it popped up, she froze.

The man was said to be 6'2", he had a bulkier frame, pale skin, brown hair that stuck to his head like a helmet, dull, empty grey eyes, a rough jaw and no mercy in his face. It was a man whose appearance Abi had seen in nightmares, in a particular one she had tried to eradicate from her mind for 11 years.

And everything from that night came flooding back.

** X**

**I was extremely in the mood, so I continued writing (:**

**Hope you enjoy it, and there will be more soon (:**

**Kayla x**


	33. Suckerpunch Pt 3 Ch33

**More Suckerpunch!**

** X**

Abi was a lit cannon the next day, firing into the office first thing to find Agent Walker already sitting on the edge of her desk reading a magazine.

"You shouldn't read that crap, you know," Abi crooned, "full of nasty speculation."

"Humph, sounds just like a day at the FBI to me," Walker responded.

Abi smirked quietly to herself, "Yeah, only we have cooler toys."

"Oh, I don't know," Walker added, "there's something very high tech about a dolly camera."

"Mm, adds all that dramatic effect."

"Yeah-huh," Walker agreed, "Now, tell me why you dragged me in here at 6:30am."

Dropping the magazine on the desk, she spun on the spot, her finger raising to Abi, "You know, I had to skip morning workout for this."

"Well, now you'll just have skip your afternoon serving of cake and you'll be even," Abi responded, not looking up from her files that she was fumbling and sorting.

"Now there's a challenge."

"No, the challenge is this," Abi began, squeezing the bridge of her nose before leaning forward on the desk to rest on her elbows, "I need to know everything that the NYPD has on a suspect of the Coonan case named Dick Coonan."

"You're still hooked on that shenanigan?" Walker questioned disbelievingly, shaking her head as she stood up and continued rambling, "And another Coonan? What's the relation?"

"Younger brother."

"Ooh, inferiority complex maybe?"

"No, not exactly," Abi said, "I've been looking through files, cases, articles, anything where elements of this case pop up."

"And these elements would be…"

"First you have the Westies," Abi began, standing as she wandered about the room while explaining, Walker taking the seat which was now vacant; she knew this was going to be a long rant.

"The Westies are the kind of people who have strict rules and even stricter punishments. One of the things they _don't_ tolerate is drugs. Now, we know that there is an increase of heroin on the streets, and Narc have managed to trace it back to the Latin Kings, represented in this case by Trucho, who was caught selling in Westie territory. We also know that Jack Coonan was most likely killed for the name he was offering to when he called in last week, and my guess is, this guy is the head of the drug chain, and the person who offed him."

"Right," Walker mused, spinning in Abi's chair, "So, what's Dick Coonan got to do with this?"

"That's the part I don't know yet."

"Well, Winters, looks like we've got some work to do," Walker exclaimed, sitting up, elbows on the desk, staring at the eyebrow raising, cross armed Abi across the room.

"Right," Abi said curtly, "But first, get out of my chair."

"Oh, yes ma'am!"

** X**

It was the next day, and Beckett was finding that this case was going to be a lot harder than she thought, despite their new evidence.

After speaking to Johnny Vong, they now knew that Dick Coonan had hired a contract killer named Rathborne, which agreed with the evidence on the victims. Speaking to Dick Coonan again, they had managed to formulate a plan to catch him in the act, through an operation that ended in dismay. Rathborne didn't show, and worst of all, their only real lead in the case, Dick Coonan, was now granted with transactional immunity. Although, Beckett had managed to keep him in holding for time being, to keep him safe for the moment until there was assurance he would be safe.

Both Beckett and Castle sat at her desk, both looking defeated.

"I let her down," Beckett said, her eyes stuck on the worn wood of her desk.

"No you didn't –"

"Rathborne's in the wind, Dick Coonan's about to walk," she exclaimed quietly, shaking her head, scolding herself, "I missed something."

"Could have been me," Castle offered, not wanting to see his partner like this, "Rathborne could've checked the routing number, realized the money was coming from my account, not Dick's. I was arrogant."

"I didn't think you were arrogant, Castle, I think what you did was sweet," Beckett replied, her gaze finally lifting to look at Castle, who gave a small smile for comfort, "and I will pay you back as –"

"Negative ghost writer," he began, "small price to pay for…"

Before he could finish, he was otherwise distracted by the elevator doors flying open as a tall, angry brunette came flying through, heading straight for the middle of the precinct. She bypassed the desk of Detective Beckett, where said woman was sat in stunned silence, Castle by her side. Instead, her direction landed her in the Captain's office, her entry not invited nor preceded by a knock.

"Special Agent Abigail Winters, FBI," she began curtly, holding up her credentials before slamming her palms onto the desk. Her eyes were at the level of the seated Captain Montgomery, narrowed and fierce.

"Do you wanna tell me whose idea it was to cut Dick Coonan loose?" Abi growled, standing in wait of a response.

"Do you wanna tell me why it's any of the Bureau's business?" Montgomery challenged, rising to his feet while the special agent straightened her posture, the heels on her feet giving her only a half inch advantage.

"Dick Coonan has become the main focus of our investigation since his brother reached out to us just days before he was killed," Abi added coldly, "he is more involved in this than you think."

"If you're here to tell me he was the one who hired Rathborne, you're too late," the Captain said, moving around the desk to stand opposite her, brown eyes on green, "we've already lost him."

"And isn't it convenient that his price was immunity," Abi began, louder and sterner than before, "that he would only agree to rat out his professional if and when he would be safe?"

"What are you saying," Montgomery shouted, "that we're wrong? That we're fools? Or is that just your agency's arrogance coming out once again?"

"What I'm saying is Rathborne and Dick Coonan are closer than we _all_ thought," she concluded, a presence at the door distracting them both.

"Beckett, Special Agent Abigail Winters," Montgomery introduced icily, "she seems to have an opinion on Coonan."

"Uh, it's okay, Sir, we've met," Beckett added, her eyes landing on the figure that was her younger sister, "but I'd love to hear why she didn't tell me any of this sooner."

Abi's face did not falter, it remained hard, her eyes dark and narrowed, "I'd appreciate if you left our personal agendas out of this, Detective Beckett."

The comment shocked both Kate and Montgomery, who both stood stunned for a moment, allowing Abi to continue on with her speech.

"Did it ever occur to you that perhaps Coonan's knowledge of Rathborne, of his past hits and misses, his whereabouts, how to find him – did you ever find that suspicious?" Abi questioned, her gaze falling between both members of her audience.

"Or, perhaps it was his greater attraction to _creating_ Rathborne than the mourning if his murdered brother –"

"Did you ever think that he was trying to help catch his brother's murderer?" Montgomery growled, his agitation rarely seen by Kate, yet not phasing Abi.

"Did you ever think that maybe he's _guilty_?" Abi exclaimed, the whole room coming to a standstill, the eyes that had begun to peer in from outside widening at the allegation.

"Detective Beckett," she began again, turning to the brunette in the doorway, "were you or were you not told by one Johnny Vong that Dick Coonan was the supplier for the drug distribution you found in the DVD cases?"

Beckett stood, bewildered, "How did you know that –"

"Just answer the question."

"No, now that is enough!" Montgomery cried, "I'll not have you come in here and order about my people like you think you own the place! This is still my precinct, and unless you can provide some sort of proof that Coonan is the killer, then you best be on your way –"

"Had you ever thought of asking a witness?" Abi interrupted, her tone calm, composed.

"There were no witnesses," Castle said, his tone more confused and questioning rather than malicious.

"To Jack Coonan's murder, no," Abi continued, "but he's not his only victim."

"There weren't any witnesses at any of his other killings either," Montgomery growled, Abi's head turning gently to look at him, her eyes stern, yet knowing. There was a moment's pause; Abi continued to stare at Montgomery, Beckett and Castle looking concerned by the doorway.

"There was," Beckett added quietly, watching an amazing feat before her, as her younger sister did not flinch at all. Montgomery stood straighter, looking between Beckett and the young agent before him, his expression changing from rage to shocking discovery. His glances between the two women in the room became more frequent, as realization hit him.

"January 9, 1999, Washington Heights," Abi began, "a woman by the name of Johanna Beckett was murdered in an alley, stabbed to death and left in a trash heap."

Montgomery slowly began to sit, Beckett and Castle stepping into the office and closing the door gently. This wasn't information that the whole precinct needed to know.

"But she wasn't alone that night," Abi continued, "she had her daughter with her, a young girl who was 11. She wasn't killed, but kidnapped, taken to an orphanage, and eventually moved away from the city. But she is still very much alive, and remembers exactly who it was that murdered her mother. And that man is Dick Coonan."

** X**

Together, Abi, Beckett and Castle walked purposefully toward lock-up, entering to find Coonan signing his release forms.

"There was no Rathborne," Beckett spat, "It was just a cover. It was all you."

There was a moment of silence; Coonan looked between the three who were accusing him momentarily before chuckling.

"Clever girl."

In an instant, the guard who was holding Coonan's papers was knocked out, and Coonan had Castle at gunpoint. Beckett was still holding her piece in its holster, not yet able to get it out of its place before Coonan was speaking.

"Ah, ah, ah, now here's what's gonna happen –"

"I wouldn't think you're in such a great position, Coonan," Abi growled, her gun pointed at Coonan's left temple, mere inches from his skin. Her finger slipped slowly over the hammer, the click of the gun being cocked reverberating in Coonan's ears. But, he didn't flinch.

"In the time it takes you to think about pulling that trigger, Castle will be dead and I will have disappeared."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Oh, wouldn't you?"

Coonan too prepared his own weapon, as Abi heard the click of it being cocked; Abi knew handguns, and the sound of that thing made her realize it was a whole lot bigger and badder than hers.

Slowly, she lowered it, eyes fierce as she re-holstered, keeping wary of his every movement.

"My, my, how they grow –"

"Shut up," Kate growled, her intense gaze urging Coonan to continue with what she was sure was going to be a theatrically staged escape plan.

"Now, here's what we're going to do," Coonan began, "we're just gonna stroll on over to the elevator together, nice and easy."

"That'll never happen," Beckett retorted.

"You make a sound, you attempt a signal, you so much as clear your throat and I'll put a round in this man's liver," he threatened, "and he will die slowly and in considerable pain."

Castle and Beckett exchanged a quick glance, as Abi took a step forward.

"Well, what are we waiting for," she said quietly, receiving an estranged look from Beckett before they both led out of lock up.

"What, no pithy remarks from the peanut gallery?" Coonan smirked, as they entered the bullpen, "Not so funny facing your own death, is it?"

"I don't know, Dick," Castle replied, "you tell me. Last I checked, this was still a police station."

As Beckett and Coonan talked, Abi looked around the precinct. She could see some oblivious, and some nervous eyes around the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Montgomery moving out of his office, presumably following them as they turned the corner toward the elevator.

She heard a gun click cocked, and the party of four was swiftly turned to face an armed Montgomery.

"No! No! Sir, we need him alive!" Beckett cried out.

"That's right, you do need me," Coonan gloated, "now back him off or Castle dies!"

Abi looked to Kate, who was staring at Montgomery.

"Sir, back off," she pleaded, "please."

"You know I can't do that!"

"You wanna learn who ordered the hit on your mommy? You better make sure I make it out of here!" Coonan ordered, his pressing of the gun into Castle's side leaving him wincing.

Abi's eyes were intent on Coonan; he was serious about Castle, and Abi could see it. She also knew he felt he had control, and to be taken by surprise was probably something he wouldn't count on. By now, most of the cops in the bullpen were surrounding the scene, Beckett pleading more with Montgomery as his weapon lowered.

"That's right, Roy, nice and easy –"

It all happened very fast. Castle's head flew back, knocking Coonan off balance and out of sorts. Castle ran for the wall beside Beckett, Coonan's gun raised in his direction. Abi felt her hands close around her piece, drawing it and aiming, but before she could do anything more, there was a gunshot. Not lowering, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beckett's gun raised, pointing at Coonan, who now had a gushing bullet wound in his chest.

He fell to the ground, Abi re-holstered her piece and Beckett fell to the floor. In an instant she was performing CPR, muttering to herself, her hands covered with blood as she pumped and pumped his chest.

Abi felt she couldn't move, as she watched the figure of the man she had feared for 11 years slowly go limp. His eyes fell on her, and just as they were on that fateful January night, they were filled with malice and hatred until they weren't filled with anything anymore.

** X**

The body had been removed, the area cleaned; Kate was at her desk, Castle in the break room. Abi had struggled to move from her spot, simply watching the space in front of the elevator be returned to its original state.

"Abi?"

Startled out of her trance, she turned at the long since heard yet familiar voice that called her name, to come face to face with someone she hardly ever expected to see again.

"Javi?"

He was standing right in front of her, and seeing him made it feel like it was yesterday that she had last seen him, rather than over three years ago.

"Oh my, god, I can't believe it's you," she gushed quietly, the two stepping forward with matching grins into a hug, one that brought so many distant memories back with her.

Stepping back, they took another moment to simply stare at each other, before Esposito inclined his head toward the break room, which Castle had now deserted in favor of his chair alongside Beckett.

"So, you're looking good," Esposito began, "what you, uh, what you been up to in the last three years?"

They walked slowly, Abi smiling at the familiarity in his voice, its warmth, and of course it's sass.

"You're looking pretty good too, Javi," Abi replied, "and I gotta say, the last three years have definitely been interesting, but uh…"

Esposito looked at her once again; they had now stopped just by the desk where her sister sat with her partner. There was a moment of understanding between the pair, as Esposito nodded, sharing a small smile with the young woman he hadn't seen in three years.

"What about coffee?" Abi suggested, "Thursday, 11 o'clock, at the Starbucks just down the street?"

"It's a date."

With a final exchange of looks, they parted ways, Abi sighing as she turned to Beckett and Castle, who both had a mischievous glint in their eyes that she did not appreciate.

"A story for another time, I think," she said, taking herself to the chair at the desk opposite Beckett's pulling it across and taking a seat.

"Well, I should very much like to hear it," Castle added, approved with a nod from Beckett.

The three shared a moment of subdued laughter, all eyes dropping down for a moment, as each tried to process the day they'd just had.

For Castle, he couldn't imagine how the two women would be feeling right about now. Both seemed to be holding together well, but they were both Becketts, so you really never could tell what they were thinking.

"Oh," Castle began, as if shocked by an eel, quickly reaching below his chair and pulling a plastic bag from underneath it, emptying its contents one by one onto the desk.

"I didn't know what you felt like, so I got some Chinese, some Italian, even got some hot dogs –"

"It wasn't your fault, you know," Beckett interrupted, watching as Castle stopped, sighing, his eyes dropping.

"I overstepped," he began, "I came down here to say that I'm sorry. And that I'm through."

There was an anxious look from Beckett which only Abi saw, as Castle was still looking down.

"I can't shadow you anymore, if it wasn't for me –"

"If it wasn't for you, I would've never found my mom's killer," she began, looking straight into his eyes as she spoke, "and someday soon, I'm gonna find the sons of bitches who had Coonan kill her. And I'd like you around when I do."

"She's right, Castle," Abi said, "there are a lot of things that our family has you to be thankful for. Giving Katie some hope, bringing our family back together again. Helping us find the truth. Not just anybody can do that simply from the kindness of their hearts."

"Yeah, it sounds great when you say it that way," Castle replied, "but I think I'm just giving you more pain and obstacles by being here than not, so –"

"Okay, if you tell anyone what I'm about to say, there's gonna be another shooting, but...I've gotten used to you pulling my pigtails," Kate said, her hand reaching out absent-mindedly to his, "I have a hard job, Castle, and having you around makes it a little more fun."

A moment of gratitude between the pair was exchanged, Castle's free hand moving to join his other one, which was now cupping Beckett's hand, though she didn't seem to mind.

"Your secret's safe with me," he whispered.

"Maybe not with me," Abi chimed in after a moment's pause, grinning as she found herself at the wrong end of a hard earned glare.

"It's okay, I know all your secrets," she added, "I'm a tough nut to crack."

"Mm, yeah, I have to say, you were fantastic in Montgomery's office today," Castle exclaimed, "I think Nikki Heat might have to have a hard-ass, FBI twin sister that was adopted out at birth or –"

"I end up in your books, I shoot you," Abi interjected, "remember, I know where you live."

"Everyone knows where I live –"

"And where your liquor cabinet is."

"Now that's not cool."

** X**

It had been a long day, and despite being around great company into the evening, Kate knew it would be about time to go home. Abi had said the same; as much as she wanted to spend time with Kate after the day they'd had, she wanted more to be at home with her family. And to be honest, Kate couldn't blame her. It had felt like days since she had properly seen Johanna, and she waited anxiously in her apartment for her to be dropped off after spending the afternoon at her Dad's.

A taxi pulled up outside and a small girl and a man stepped out; Kate watched the figures exchange a hug and a backpack, before the smaller one ran into the building. The man waited for a few moments, until he was sure the little girl was in safe, before he climbed back into the waiting taxi and took off into the rain.

Kate made quickly for the front door, wrenching it open to hear the elevator going. She waited anxiously by the door, almost jumping out of her skin when it dinged and the doors slid open.

"Mommy!"

"JoJo!"

The case melted away in her head, as the arms of her little girl flung around her shoulders, her own arms clamped tightly around Johanna's waist as they spun for a few moments and simply held each other.

"God, Jo, you're getting heavy!" Kate groaned, chuckling as she set her feet back on the floor, leading her 9 year old inside.

"It's nice to see you too, Mom!" Johanna exclaimed sarcastically, giggling as she kicked off her shoes and following her mother into the kitchen.

"What do you say to hot cocoa and shortbread?" Kate asked, taking Johanna's excited gasp and wide as saucer eyes to mean yes.

Kate laughed quietly to herself, turning to the bench to start fixing the cocoa, pulling the Tupperware box of shortbreads from the cupboard above her. A few minutes after she started, she heard a shuffling behind her, figuring Johanna was off to the bathroom or to her bedroom or something. Before she could think, a pair of arms was clamped around her waist from behind.

"Hey Jo."

"Hey Mom."

Laughing again, this time at Johanna's muffled voice from being pressed into her back, Kate paused what she was doing, turned inside Johanna's arms to face her before she wrapped her arms too around the young girl.

"I missed you," Johanna murmured simply, sighing deeper into the hug and closing her eyes, leaning all her weight on her mother, who was leaning all her weight on the bench behind her.

"I missed you too, Johanna."

** X**

This time when she walked inside, Josh was in front of the TV, flicking through the late night news until he found something worth watching.

"Evening, Mr. Davidson," Abi greeted quietly, leaving her coat and bag by the door and kicking off her shoes. It was a great feeling to remove those beasts after a long day.

"Evening, Miss Winters."

There was a certain amusement and joking in their greetings to one another; Abi couldn't even remember how it started, probably some crack she made about Josh ability to be a gentleman and her distinct lack of ability to be a lady.

"I'll be back in a moment," she said, receiving a nod as she crept down the stairs to the bottom floor of the apartment. She reached the door to Cris' bedroom, opening it slowly and quietly, tiptoeing inside to find her little boy fast asleep in his bed. Walking over, she sat gently on the edge of the mattress, her hand reaching out to rest on the side of his head, her thumb gently caressing his apple pink cheek. He barely stirred.

Not daring to stay for too long in case he woke, she soon left him with a kiss and made her way slowly back out and up the stairs. When she reached the landing, she found Josh hadn't moved much, except he now had a beer in one hand. Just as she was about to reprimand him for being selfish, she found the glass of red wine on the edge of the dining table. Smiling at just how well he knew her, she scooped it up and made her way over to the couch.

"Anything interesting been happening?" she asked, plonking down beside him, head resting on his shoulder.

"Nah, not really," he murmured, shutting off the television and throwing the remote aside. He shuffled a little under her, before he was adequately rearranged, allowing her to fall quite comfortably into his arms.

"Long day?" he asked, sipping his beer amongst her smirking.

"Long week is more like it," she murmured.

"But it's only Tuesday," Josh pointed out, "you've still got Wednesday, Thursday and Friday left before the weekend."

"Pure technicalities, my dear sir," Abi chortled, taking another sip from her glass and murmuring in delight, "Mm, this is good stuff."

"All alcohol is good after a hard day's work."

"I thought we just established the week thing?"

"Oh, shush, you little whinger," he commanded with a chuckle, leaning down to place a small, yet tender kiss to her lips.

"Mm, Joshua Davidson, stop this nonsense," she murmured between kisses, each one growing slightly longer, yet no less gentle, "I am far too tired for this canoodling."

"Well, you seem to be enjoying it."

"Not the point."

With a chuckle and one last, prolonged kiss, Josh settled back into the couch, Abi nestling her head beneath his shoulder, finishing the last of her wine and setting the glass on the table.

"You what, Mr. Davidson, I think it's bed time."

** X**

**Well, that leaves Suckerpunch done and dusted. I was on a roll, do I thought best to knock it out in a few, large chapters than lots of smaller ones that were few and far between. **

**Hope this is okay (:**

**Kayla x**


	34. Johanna's Father Ch34

**Na na na na na na na na CASKETT!  
>Yeah, but okay, onto real business , I've finished Suckerpunch, and there are, of course, many wonderful episodes of season 2 remaining (ahem, the 2 parter!) and this is sort of an in-between bit for a few characters. There may be a case, I don't know…I'll decide as I'm writing (:<strong>

**Oh, and if anyone's as anal about character ages as I am, I'll let you know that in the interim of the last few chapters, Johanna did in fact turn 9. And is now also in the 4****th**** grade.**

** X**

Johanna sat in the living room, the television on as background noise, but not particularly enthralling to her. She instead sat with an open book on the arm of the couch, her eyes darting through sentence after sentence, fingers flipping pages faster than a normal nine year old should read.

The doorbell did not startle her, but she did sigh in annoyance, shoving the bookmark in the pages and jumping up, skipping and humming her way to the door.

"May I please ask who it is?" she called through the door, holding her ear close to it in wait of a reply. Her mother had told her to always keep the door locked when she was home alone, and to never answer until she was sure of who it was. Sometimes, Johanna simply told whomever was there to come back later, as her mother wasn't home.

"Uh, it's Brad," came the voice on the other side of the door, "I just thought I'd drop by and, uh…"

Giggling at his awkwardness, Johanna turned the lock and pulled the door open just a crack, leaving the safety chain in place. Sometimes, you could never be too sure.

"Hi Brad," she greeted warmly and with a smile, before pushing the door almost closed again, removing the safety chain and allowing him inside.

"Thanks kiddo," he said, smiling as he walked inside stopping just a little inside the door as he heard Johanna shutting and locking it again behind him.

"Mom's not here at the moment," Johanna began, flittering past him and back to the living room, "but she called about 10 minutes ago to say she's headed home, so she won't be too long."

"Right," Brad replied, nodding once, his hands glued into his back pockets while he stood in the foyer, looking extremely out of place. His eyes were simply scanning the room, taking in the family photos, the quirky little ornaments, and the overall homely feeling it had.

"You can sit down," Johanna said, pointing to the arm chair closest to him, "and would you like something to drink?"

Brad stood for a moment longer, shocked at the hospitality and maturity of the young girl. He gave a weak, crooked smile and took a seat, still upright and feeling a little awkward.

"Uh, yeah, uh, just, just water is great," he stuttered, looking sideways at Johanna who was stifling giggles.

"Why are you so awkward?" she asked, "It's not like you don't know me."

She did have a point.

"Yeah, I know, I guess…" he started, looking up as he mulled over his next words.

"You guess what?" Johanna urged, leaning over the arm of the couch as she waited impatiently for the reply.

"It's kinda weird to get asked inside and fussed over by a nine year old," Brad explained, before adding with a wink, "especially you."

"Why especially me?" Johanna cried, her mouth open wide in disbelief, though Brad was sure it was just a dramatic façade; he could see the amusement in her expression.

"Well, because it's you, and you eat crazy Wonka candy and have sherbert on your ice cream!"

"That's not _weird_," Johanna reasoned, "that's delicious!"

"Not in my books, it's not," Brad replied, chuckling as Johanna giggled, the young girl jumping up and heading to the kitchen.

"But seriously, I know how to make coffee and tea and hot cocoa if you want some," Johanna called through, looking in the fridge, "and we also have orange juice or cranberry juice – but I wouldn't have the cranberry juice, it's really disgusting."

Brad couldn't help but smile at the girl, watching as she wandered about the kitchen listing all of the things he could have. It was rare to come by such a wonderful young girl; all Brad could boast was his two nieces and a nephew when it came to young kids, but they were all brats in his opinion. He'd never met a girl quite like Johanna. Then again, as a teenager, he thought he'd never met anyone quite like Kate either.

"So, what do you want, Brad?" Johanna asked finally, standing beside the kitchen island, hands on her hips.

"You know what, Johanna, I'd love a coffee," he said, causing a smile to erupt on her face. He had a feeling that it wasn't so much about pleasing him, but more for her to practice her coffee making skills.

"Sure!" she replied brightly, "Milk or sugar?"

"Uh, milk and one sugar, please."

With a quick nod, Johanna set about the kitchen, moving very quickly and expertly, in Brad's opinion. It didn't take her long to organize the hot drink, and she had even thrown a few shortbreads on a plate and was bringing them over as well. She set them down gently on the coffee table, before plonking back on the couch, removing an inconveniently placed cushion from underneath her as she watched Brad begin to drink his coffee.

Sure, he had had some reservations about a nine year old making him coffee; he was sure she'd never drank it before in her life. Still, he took his first sip, and was delighted and admittedly shocked to find it was actually rather good. And to be honest, the shortbread on the plate was simply making his mouth water.

"Good work, Johanna," Brad said, a comment which left a bright and accomplished grin on Johanna's face.

"Thanks!" she said, "So, what are you doing here, anyway?"

Brad, who was midway through a gulp of coffee, looked at the intensity in her gaze; she was fiercely intelligent, this girl, and always wanted to know what was going on. Kate even said she read the morning paper religiously, and was always asking her mother questions about work.

"Oh, I thought I'd drop by to see how you guys were going," he replied, "only because I know your Mom has been slammed with work, and I've been on shift pretty much every night for the past week and a half."

"Well, she'll be home soon," Johanna added in a hopeful way, looking briefly at the clock before she sighed, settled back into her seat and opened up her book again.

Brad continued to drink his coffee and look around the room a bit more; there were some lovely photographs on the walls, some of just Johanna, others of her with Kate. Some were of Kate and another woman whom Brad didn't know, but assumed due to her likeness to Kate and Johanna to be Kate's sister. There was also an older man in some of the pictures; Brad had heard about Mr. Beckett from Kate on a few occasions as teenagers, but never much.

"Is it just you and your Mom, then?" Brad asked, the little blue eyes popping up from the page in response, along with a nod.

"Yeah, it's just us," she replied dejectedly, "And Grandpa of course, but in the apartment it's just Mom and I."

"Have you ever known your Dad, or –"

"No, never."

"Oh, right."

Looking away and around the room, Brad set his coffee mug aside, watching Johanna slowly close her book out of the corner of his eye.

"But she does tell me stories about him," Johanna said, her tone not upset or quiet, "so I guess I do sort of know about him."

His eyes fell back on the little girl, who was looking at him eagerly, her eyes almost begging him to ask her to continue. He didn't feel like it was his place to be asking such private information from the daughter of a woman he hadn't had contact with in almost ten years.

"Do you want to tell the stories?" Brad asked, knowing she was itching to get something off her chest.

A small smile crept over her features as she began.

"I can tell it like Mom does," she said, "so I won't try to. But she told me it was someone who she cared about very, very much, and didn't want to leave him. But at the same time she was scared to get hurt again, because her heart was already in pieces from her Mom dying. So, she ran away from it all, and him. And I know she still misses him."

Johanna held Brad's eyes the whole time throughout her story, and even as she continued, she did not let her gaze drop once, and he was almost hypnotized by her words.

"She said he was the only person to understand that she didn't want to be comforted or felt sorry for," Johanna went on, "she just wanted someone to talk to who would listen. And he did."

There came the end to Johanna's retelling of the story, a moment's silence erupting as she finally let go the gaze she and Brad shared, smiling at the floor.

"He sounds like a wonderful man," Brad murmured, "It's a shame you never got to meet him."

Johanna shrugged, "Mom always says there are two people in the whole world I remind her of; her little sister, and my dad."

Brad couldn't help but smile at the pride that swelled in her as she said this, but he was certain it wasn't a representation of her own, but a mimicking of her mother's.

"She says I have my Aunt Abigail's hair, and face, and some of her personality," she said, "but then she says I'm mischievous and really smart like my dad was, and her favorite thing that I have is his blue eyes."

With a huge crooked grin, Brad gave a nod to Johanna, watching the beaming young girl fiddle with the corner of a cushion, her hand stroking the front of her book distractedly. As the silence ensued, Johanna slowly began to open it to the page she was on, Brad simply staring about the room as he thought to himself. A spark of thought hit him, and although he thought it silly, there was really no harm in asking.

"Hey, Johanna, you're nine, right?" he asked, her eyes bobbing up again from her book.

"Yup, just turned in September."

"Right, so you were born in…"

"2000."

"Sure, of course."

This time it was Johanna who gave the nod, looking away from the now buzzing with thought Brad. He thought back to health class, wondering whether that silly debacle of pregnancy being nine or ten months had actually been resolved or not. He probably hadn't been listening either way.

Still, September born meant some time at Christmas or New Year's, a time he surprisingly remembered quite well, although he wasn't sure Kate would be able to say the same.

"So, when does your Mom get home?" Brad asked, a click of the door and scrambling Johanna answering his question.

"Now."

** X**

"Brad, not that I'm not happy to see you, but you really should have called first," Kate murmured, standing in the middle of her kitchen, having just arrived home from work. Johanna was still in the living room, reading, while Brad was standing opposite her, leaning on the bench top.

"I know, but for some reason I thought you'd be home," Brad replied, scolding his own stupidity; of course she'd still be at work, it was only 5:15pm when he came around.

Instead of an answer, he got a glare, chuckling to himself lightly before he watched her begin to fiddle with the coffee maker.

"Coffee?"

"Uh, no thanks, your daughter was hospitable enough to bring me one when I arrived," he boasted, Kate's eyes flicking sideways to an occupied Johanna in the living room.

"Did she now?" Kate questioned, Brad nodding eagerly in reply.

Kate had to admit, it was nice having Brad around again; they had been great friends in college. Despite the 'special circumstances' of their friendship that made her cringe every time she thought of them, they really were just two kids who were lost in the big bad world. Not many people, particularly Lanie when she told her this, could believe that Kate and Brad were just friends. Lanie herself had even tried to stake a claim in the extremely attractive fireman.

However, Kate was soon to find out that he had in fact been dating someone for a very long time now, and was considering taking it further. It was not a shock to Kate, really, with him being both so lovely to look at and to talk to, she was certain when they agreed to that first coffee together, it didn't mean anything like everyone thought it should.

And she was right.

"We had some interesting conversations too," Brad said, striking Kate out of her daydream, both his words and their tone.

"Oh yeah?" she replied, pushing a mug of coffee across the bench regardless of what he'd said earlier, "And what might you have talked about?"

Brad fiddled with his coffee mug momentarily, knowing he would have to speak to Kate about his nagging thought, but that she may or may not like what he had to say.

"Her father."

Brad looked gingerly at Kate, who was a mix of both fear, anger and pain all in one.

"Look, sorry I brought it up, I just thought –"

"Who initiated the conversation?" Kate asked coldly, "You or her?"

"Okay, you wanna know what happened?" he started, seemingly annoyed at her accusation.

"I'd love to know."

"Fine, I was looking at the pictures and said, 'so it's just you and your Mom then?' and she said yes, so I asked if she'd ever known her Dad, and she said no, and then –"

"Don't you think that's kind of a heavy topic for a nine year old?" Kate interrupted.

"You didn't let me finish," Brad shot back, taking the momentarily stunned yet curtly arm-crossing Kate's gesture of continuation for what it was worth.

"I shut up, but then she started saying how you would tell stories about him, and she had that look that kids get when they want to tell you something real important, but aren't sure whether you really want to listen –"

"So you told her to tell them?"

"No, I asked her if she wanted to," Brad pacified, Kate's quiet yet sharp and angry tone not agreeing with him too well, "And obviously she did. I didn't ask any questions, I just listened. Until it got to the end part."

"Oh, and what did you ask her at the end part?" Kate growled, her voice slowly getting more high pitched as she got slightly more emotional.

"Just when she was born."

"And why on earth would you need to know that, Brad?"

"I think you know why, Kate."

His last saying of her name caused her to note the seriousness in his eyes, and him her almost lack of composure over the whole situation.

"Johanna, sweetie, why don't you go take a shower before dinner?" Kate called across the living room, watching the little brunette shut her book contently and place it on the coffee table.

"Okay, Mom."

Waiting until they heard the sound of the bathroom door closing and the shower water running, Kate ushered Brad into the living room. Before she joined him, she pulled a bottle of wine from the rack, pouring herself a liberal glass before she joined him.

"Okay, now, Mr. Tompkins, tell me what your grand revelation is, because I'm just _dying_ to hear it," Kate muttered, not at all looking forward to what was ahead of her.

"Kate," he started, leaning forward, elbows on knees as he spoke, "it's no secret that we, uh, you know, uh –"

"Fooled around a lot?"

"Yeah, let's go with that."

"Gladly."

"Anyway, we both know what I mean," he continued, Kate nodding in agreement, taking another long sip of wine, "and I guess, I was just sort of thinking, you know, New Years, well…let's just say we definitely partied like it was 1999."

A quick chuckle escaped the both of them, Kate shaking her head lightly, recalling the time period well, though not necessarily exactly what happened. Aside from one occasion, that is.

"And, uh, well, Johanna was, uh, was born in the next September, and, uh, I guess I just –"

"Stop," Kate demanded, holding out a hand to a stunned Brad.

She leaned forward to put her wine glass on the coffee table, setting it down lightly before straightening up and turning back to Brad.

"I know what you're trying to say," she began, "and I would be a liar if I said I didn't think the same thing that day in the grocery store."

Brad waited for her to speak again, but she didn't, and he wasn't sure whether it was not knowing what to say or if she was waiting for him to speak.

"So…what _do_ you think?" he asked expectantly, his fingers fidgeting amongst themselves as he waited for a reply. With a sigh, Kate continued.

"I thought about it," she started, "and it hit me that it was after we were…I don't think together is the right word –"

"After we were fooling around."

"Exactly."

Sighing, Brad looked down at his feet. He wasn't sure how to feel; he felt almost disappointed he couldn't say that little girl was his, but at the same time, he had a sense of relief, knowing he had the chance to have children and be there through their whole lives. He was very mixed up about it, but whatever he felt, the matter was clear.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Kate said, "I uh, I have a friend who is a medical professional, and she told me it was highly unlikely."

"Based on what?"

"Well, Johanna was born late September, but she was four weeks premature," Kate began, "and although you both share a few more notable traits, like your eyes and your goofiness…"

Kate continued on speaking to Brad, not noticing the sound of the shower having stopped, and the little girl of whom they were talking coming out of the bathroom. Still, Johanna knew she couldn't be seen, so she waited patiently behind the wall, listening as hard as she could. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but on a matter this important, she felt it wouldn't be all that bad.

"So her Dad is still out there?" Brad asked simply, to which a seemingly defeated Kate nodded.

"He sure is," she replied slowly.

"Are you going to try and find him?" he asked, "I mean, not just for Johanna, but, from what she said, the man meant a lot to you."

It was Kate's turn to look at her feet now; she had always considered the abstract idea of trying to find the man she thought to be Johanna's father. Well, she knew it had to be him; aside from Brad, who was earlier, there hadn't been anyone else.

"It was one night," she said, "one night that he probably never thinks about, or had many more of with other women. One I can barely remember until the morning after when I freaked out."

"Do you regret it?" Brad asked, surprised at her sombre tone.

Kate's eyes snapped up, and she looked him like he was daft.

From behind the wall, Johanna didn't see the look between them, and she felt her gut clench, her breath hitch in her throat as she listened. Her mother had always told her she was the best thing to ever happen to her, but had she been lying all this time? The tension in her small frame was mounting more as the silence went on, the fear that she was in fact an inconvenience rather than a gift to her mother growing in her mind.

"I never could," Kate said in an almost whisper, "finding out I was pregnant was…I can't even describe it. I was scared at first, didn't know what I was going to do. I had a moment of weakness and thought I might not keep the baby –"

Behind the wall, Johanna gulped, taking a moment to appreciate the fact that her mother could have never had her, but chose to anyway.

"- but I kept her in the end. It kept me out of trouble, gave me something to work and live for. And that little girl is the only thing in the world that kept me going. Even as we got out of the rut of being poor and me being jobless, she never stopped being this bright, radiant joy that was always there. Sometimes I swear, she's the one who is always supporting me."

Brad chuckled, "Yeah, she's wise beyond her years, that one."

Nodding, Kate took a moment, looking down at her hands, which were tightly clasped atop her thighs.

"And I just think, the parts of her that aren't me, are him," she said, "and I wonder what kind of amazing person he must be."

Johanna turned over and leaned back against the wall, smiling as she stared at the blank plaster in front of her. Yes, her father did sound like an amazing person. She was sure that, one day, she would find him again, and he could be there for both of them, in a way he couldn't before. And this time, her mother wouldn't be afraid of having her heart broken, and Johanna would be able to finally have a person in the world that she could call 'Dad'.

** X**

**Well, this actually evolved into something different than I thought it was going to be, so I hope you enjoyed it. It was something I didn't know whether I'd be able to tackle so soon, but I guess it just kind of happened this way. **

**I know a lot of you didn't particularly like Brad, but somehow, I don't think he'll be a barrier in the Caskett relationship anymore, whether he stays around or not. **

**Anyways, enjoyeth!**

**Kayla x**


	35. The Not Quite Coffee Date Ch35

**Don't tell me I'm on a roll, it might jinx me.**

** X**

Abi sat nervously in her car across the street from Starbucks. Her hands were fumbling about with themselves, her stomach was doing butterflies, and she almost leapt out of her seat when she saw Javi walk into the café.

"Come on, Abigail, you're a grown woman," she scolded herself, "stop this bull crap!"

Shaking herself out she pushed the car door open, slammed it closed, locked the car, checked both ways for traffic then stepped out onto the street. For most, you'd never guess that two seconds ago she'd been a nervous wreck. Her chin was high, a smile on her face, her stride confident and controlled as she walked, reaching the door to Starbucks in only ten seconds.

Continuing on her fearless façade, she wrenched the door open, stepping into the warmth and coffee-scented room. It was busy, but not quite as busy as she had expected. Over at the counter, she saw Javi at the end of the surprisingly short line to order, but he was facing the counter. Well, to be honest, he was probably facing the immensely attractive waitress _behind_ the counter.

Walking over, she joined the end of the line, watching the Hispanic detective continue to ogle before she decided to intervene. Leaning forward a little, almost right at his ear, she whispered, "Hi Javi."

He jumped almost a mile, leaving Abi chuckling in amusement as he straightened himself out and raised a finger.

"Not cool."

"I can't believe that got you," she replied, still laughing, "you call yourself a homicide detective!"

"'You call yourself a homicide detective'," he mocked in a silly high pitched voice, that left Abi shaking her head.

"But seriously, I totally got you –"

"Yeah, off guard –"

"You should always be taking notice of your surroundings –"

"- in the event of a change of circumstance."

"God, that stuff is ingrained in our heads!" Abi whined, pouting playfully before returning to normal, the man behind the register preparing to take her order.

"It ought to be ingrained, the work we were doing," Javi said, smiling and taking his coffee and food from the very same waitress he'd been captivated by before, "Why thank you, Samantha."

Rolling her eyes, Abi handed over the few dollars for her own latte and muffin and thanked the cashier, turning to find where Javi had gone.

He hadn't gone terribly far, a little table just in the corner by the window that was right out of the way, much to Abi's liking.

"But I do agree with you though," Abi said, taking her seat, fidgeting until she was comfortable.

Javi, for a second, looked very confused, "Agree with me on what?"

"That we had to have it ingrained in our heads," Abi said, "looking back now, I can't believe half the stuff we did."

"Yeah, it's crazy when you're doing it but it's even crazier when you tell people," he replied, "not that it's a sharing thing."

Shaking her head, Abi took a ginger sip of her coffee, "No, it isn't really something many other people understand."

"It's tough, would have been tougher for you though," Javi continued, "coming back alone with a thing like that –"

"Stop, Javi," Abi interjected, looking at him sternly, "it's all behind me now. Let's not turn this reunion into a pity party."

"Right, sure, uh," he began, looking around, as if the topic of conversation were floating in the air, "I do miss our days in the service though, even if we weren't together for all of it."

"Pfft, not my fault they think girls can't shoot."

"You soon proved them wrong though."

"You bet I did!" she exclaimed with a chuckle.

"I'm sure that helped you get into the FBI," Javi added, scratching his chin.

"Yeah, after I recovered, I was recommended to the FBI, and they took me in on the basis of my service and the degree I managed to finish," Abi explained, "and they let me in."

"There's no reason why they wouldn't have," Javi said.

With a smile, the two took another few sips of their coffees, both still unable to fully grasp the fact they were sitting opposite each other after such a long time.

"How about you, Javi, how is the police force treating you?" Abi asked, pulling her muffin apart and beginning to eat. Damn, that was a good muffin.

"Not bad, not bad," he mused, "keeps me out of trouble."

"Now that's a job," Abi murmured, feeling a sudden, yet well-placed kick to her shins, "And that's just cruel, Javier!"

"Oh, please, you are the expert on being cruel!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"And you were the world's biggest tease –"

"Still am from time to time."

"See, there you go again!"

Abi threw head back in laughter, watching Javi get slightly more distressed at his inability to win against her.

"Just face it, Javi, you never could beat me, and you never will," she said, still chuckling at his shaking head.

"There were other ways in which I could win," he murmured deviously, a comment which left Abi rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"That there were," she murmured to herself, looking down at her muffin, which was mostly still there, but broken into little bits. Her coffee was nearly finished though.

Javi was fidgeting in his seat, uncertain of how to take Abi's sudden solemness.

"So, judging by the way you were all over the waitress, I'm guessing you're currently single?" Abi asked, perking him up instantly, although she did have to giggle at his glare.

"As hard as it is to believe for a guy of my…stature," he began, stretching back with a grin as he spoke, Abi left shaking her head for what felt like the hundredth time that day, "I am indeed single."

"Oh yeah, terribly hard to believe," Abi replied, smirking, popping another piece of muffin into her mouth.

"What about you then, are _you_ single?" Javi asked, leaning forward, "I can't imagine you staying lonely for long, body like that –"

"Ah huh, trust you to be checking me out still," Abi muttered, laughing quietly to herself.

"Hey, in that skirt and that shirt –"

"Javi!"

"Sorry," he said quickly, with a cheeky grin, "but you still haven't answered the question."

Sighing at his persistence, she remembered just how annoyingly charming he was, despite how young they were. Well, how young she was.

"No, as a matter of fact, I'm not," she said, hiding behind the last sip of her coffee as Javi began to look increasingly curious.

There was a moment of silence, where they simply stared at each other, Abi wondering why on earth he was staring at her like that, Javi waiting impatiently for a reply he didn't seem to be getting.

"And?" he finally blurted.

"'And' what?" she replied, laughing, "What more is there to say?"

"Uh, name, age, occupation, where you met, how you met –"

"Whoa, what are you, my mother?"

They stopped for a moment; despite it being a topic they usually could speak of without this awkwardness, recent events seemed to make them both take a step back from Abi's words out of sheer respect for her emotional fragility.

Instead, she continued to tell Javi what he wanted to hear.

"His name is Josh –"

"Josh who?"

"Davidson," she said sternly, glaring at him for interrupting, "he's 29 and –"

"Bit old."

"Still younger than you," Abi said nonchalantly, "and he's a doctor."

"Pfft, doctor…" Javi muttered.

"Yes, a _doctor_," Abi emphasized, grinning at Javi's disgruntled look, "and we met about three years ago in a library."

"How romantic," Javi muttered again.

"Obviously."

"So it's serious, then?" Javi asked, his hopeful tone almost overriding his efforts to sound casual.

"I would say so," Abi said, "but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Do you live together?" Javi continued questioning, to which Abi only nodded at first.

"In an apartment in Chelsea."

Another few moments passed, as the two tried to figure out what they could say to each other. It seemed three and a half years created a slightly bigger gap to fill than they had thought. Still, Javi and his not so subtle ways broke the silence again, asking a question that Abi immediately wanted to scream the answer to, but restrained herself.

"Do you remember when we were together?"

** X**

**I know this is painstakingly short, and I will be continuing this situation again next chapter, but I missed an update yesterday because I was out, and didn't get time to finish this properly, so the very few words here hopefully will suffice you until the weekend at least. If not, never fear, I shall be writing again soon!**

**Kayla x**


	36. Coffee and Claus Resolved Ch36

**Two things to attend to here; Abi and Javi's little get together is about to continue in the early part of this chapter (not particularly long, at this point, but they may change when I actually start writing it). And then I plan to do a little bit of Christmas, a little earlier than we got it in the show! So, just pretend that what happened before it is just kind of in the December-ish timeframe i.e. Abi/Javi, Suckerpunch etc.**

**Merry Christmas!**

** X**

"Yes, I do actually remember that time quite well," Abi murmured, looking away awkwardly, avoiding Javi's eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Javi asked slowly, a moment of silence erupting between them. He knew, before he had even asked, that it wasn't. It was a topic that he knew he had been unable to think about for many years afterward. He still struggled to think about it sometimes now, but he had known he had to make peace with it.

Abi felt much the same way. It had been years since she had thought in any sort of significance of the time she'd spent with Javi in her younger years. Still, it was time she remembered being well spent, despite their circumstances. It was more the time following that was a burden to recall.

"Uh, yeah, just fine," she replied curtly, only after realizing he was staring at her worryingly. She didn't like it when he did that.

"I'll admit," he started, emitting a somewhat fearful look from Abi at this beginning, "they probably weren't the best circumstances to have a relationship in –"

"No, not exactly," Abi interrupted, "though I doubt it would have lasted very long if we hadn't kept our sense about us."

"_We_ wouldn't have lasted very long at all," Javi reiterated, chuckling to himself.

"Well, I suppose there was probably a reason that that sort of thing wasn't allowed," Abi said smartly, "you can't afford even the smallest distractions."

"Yeah, but we weren't even technically working together –"

"We were at first," Abi interjected again, "or don't you remember how we came to be?"

Javi glared at her and the humorous look she had in her eyes as she stared back, his eyes softening again to laughter.

"No, I definitely remember," he said, nodding, "I definitely remember me kicking your ass on many an occasion –"

"Oh, please!" Abi exclaimed, "I had you every time!"

"Yeah, well, I got bigger muscles than you, they don't fit so well in all of them tiny places –"

"The advantages of being of slender build, my friend –"

"Hey now, you calling me fat?"

"Well-built."

"Same thing."

"Well, there was a reason you got picked to be Santa Claus two years running," Abi murmured, Javi shaking his head, "and it wasn't for your deliciously brown skin."

"I'm sorry, did you just call my Hispanic skin tone delicious?" he asked coyly.

"Is that what I said?" Abi replied, equally sly.

"You did, yeah."

"Oh, right," she finished with a smile, hiding it behind her coffee as she drained the last of it.

They sat for a moment, Abi looking perfectly flustered and Javi looking quite pleased with himself for the moment. It wasn't an awkward silence, more a thoughtful one, as Abi gazed out the window, careful not to move her gaze as she eyed Javi in her peripherals.

True, they had been very young and very reckless to have carried on a relationship in their circumstances. Iraq was no place for anything but violence and war, a fact Abi kept close to her at times, for reasons she wasn't quite sure of.

Still, it was a relationship that Abi was sure she had never quite let go of, despite moving on, now being with Josh, having a son. And somehow, she felt that Javi was in much the same way.

Before she could think of anything more to say, her phone rang, startling the both of them. Sighing, she reached for it, dreading that it might be the office calling her in. In fact, it was Josh.

"I'm sorry, Javi, one sec," she said quickly, receiving a nod as she answered, "Hey, honey, what's up?"

Javi could hear only a muffled voice on the other end, watching Abi's face change from confusion to small worry.

"Right, is he asleep now?" Abi continued, a turn that confused Javi even more so, as the voice continued on the other end for a few moments, Abi's face growing exceedingly anxious.

"Okay, well, I can meet you at the surgery if you want, I'm already a few blocks aw –"

She paused, waiting for the voice on the other end, becoming distressed in her reply.

"Josh, I know you're better at this than me, but if he's got a temperature like that, he needs medicine," Abi reasoned, "and the only place you're gonna get that now is the doctors."

Javi was utterly confused as to what Abi was talking about, watching her sigh a little more and nod to herself twice before she appeared to be rounding out the conversation.

"Okay, I'll meet you there in 20 minutes," she said, nodding again quickly, "mm-hmm, sure. Okay, bye honey, love you."

She ended the call, throwing her phone on the table, grabbing her coffee cup and swirling it, disappointed to find it empty.

"Who needs to go to the doctors?" Javi asked, knowing it probably wasn't his best choice at an opening question, but it was the one he gave.

"Oh, uh," Abi started, unsure of what to say at the moment; she knew the information wouldn't exactly mean anything to Javi at this point if she were tell him, he didn't know anything.

"Uh, my, uh, my son has had a fever since last –"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it right there," Javi said, interrupting, "you have a _son_?"

Abi sighed to herself, seeing the mix of confusion, excitement and disappointment in Javi's eyes.

"Yes," she replied simply, unable to muster up anything else to say in the moment.

"What's his name?" he asked.

Abi hesitated for a moment, deciding it was best to go with only what Javi needed to know, "His name is Cris."

"How old is he?" Javi asked, now genuinely interested.

"He's, uh, he's two and a half," Abi murmured, fiddling with ends of her shirt as she spoke, avoiding the gaze of Javi's questioning eye. Hopefully, he hadn't been paying as much attention as she thought he might have been.

He gave a small smile at her words as he spoke, "Well, I'm sure he's quite the little man –"

He stopped, his face suddenly becoming confused. It was this, the careful calculating and observant mind of Javier Esposito, that Abi feared would lead him to where she didn't want him to be just yet.

"Wait, I thought you said you only met Josh three years ago?" Javi asked, to which Abi only nodded, looked more anxious as the seconds ticked by, "So, how can your son be two and half already? Unless there was somebody before, and Josh isn't…"

With that, he faded out, and the sheer horror took over him for a moment, then the anger as he looked back up at a terrified Abi.

"What's his full name?" he asked darkly in an almost whisper, his eyes intent on hers.

"Javi –"

"Abi, what is your son's full name?" he repeated, this time drawing out the worlds fiercely.

She was reluctant, but felt she couldn't deny him, even though she had for so many years.

"Cristiano Javier Winters," Abi said quietly, her voice trembling, "he was born in March of 2007."

This time, the silence that fell over them was heavy and tense, as Javi only stared angrily at Abi for a moment, looked away, twitching dangerously, before he looked back to her, his brown eyes darker than she had ever seen them. He shoved his chair back, standing instantly, making Abi jump, but she remained seated. He gave her one last look as he spoke, before he was stomping out of the café angrily.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

** X**

"Mom, where's the wreath?" Johanna called from the living room, her head having been stuck in boxes all morning, finding and putting up all the Christmas decorations she could find.

For reasons unbeknownst to Johanna, her mother wasn't particularly into Christmas in the way Johanna was. In fact, the young girl was fairly certain her mother didn't like Christmas at all, but she still put up with Johanna's endless yammerings and insistences for the holiday season.

"Uh, I don't know, Jo," Kate murmured, walking through the living room to find it transformed into Santaland.

Groaning, Johanna resigned to rummaging through each of the boxes yet again to find it.

"Don't you think this is a bit much, Johanna?" Kate asked from the kitchen, pouring herself another cup of coffee to help herself deal with all the red, green and silver, "I mean, you haven't even done the tree yet, and it looks like Santa threw up all over our living room."

"Mom, that is _not_ a good way to talk about Christmas decorations," Johanna reprimanded sternly, pulling out the stockings from the box she was looking in, racing over to what was once a fireplace, and hanging them daintily above it.

"And anyway, you have to help me with the tree," Johanna said, giving her mother a look when she groaned, "you _know_ it's tradition!"

Johanna looked sideways as she kept at the boxes, which were now mostly filled with the baubles for the tree, to see her mother simply staring at the ground, sipping her coffee.

"Mom?"

Her address snapped Kate out of her daydream, as she looked from her slightly put out daughter standing amongst the haphazard Christmas boxes, the lights tangled in a pile beside her feet. When she had been younger, Kate had adored Christmas; she and her mother and sister would bake and cook for days, she and her father would go Christmas shopping together, she and Abi would make snowmen and angels in the park, mischievously climbing trees and hanging old baubles off of them.

"Mom, why don't you like Christmas?" Johanna asked, "You don't have a problem with Easter or Halloween or Thanksgiving. Why Christmas?"

"Johanna, it's something I'm sure you'll learn to understand when you get older," Kate muttered, not wanting particularly to share with her daughter her bah humbug ways when the little girl was so into it.

"Fine," Johanna sighed, bending down to pick up the lights and wandered over to the tree in the corner, "but it is nice to put up the Christmas decorations with family and not by yourself. Even if their middle name should be 'Ebenezer'!"

Chuckling, Kate watched the grin spread on her daughter's face, setting her coffee cup down on the bench as she wandered into the living room. Reaching across, she gently took the bulk of the lights in her own hands, holding them up so Johanna could find the end of them to start wrapping the tree.

"You know what, I think we should just wrap you in the lights and pop you out on the window as a decoration," Kate said playfully, starting to slowly wrap her end of lights around Johanna, who was giggling loudly, swatting at the bulbs.

"No, Mom, I don't think that would be a good idea," Johanna replied, continuing to expertly weave the string of lights between the branches, "besides, I'm pretty sure it's frowned upon to hang your children out the window."

"Yeah, somehow I don't think the neighbours would like hearing you whining about the cold 24/7," Kate added, grinning at her daughter's glare.

It was lucky their tree was quite small, and Johanna was soon done with the lights. Turning toward the multiple boxes of baubles, she picked up two, passing one to her mother.

"Don't put the same colored ones too close together," Johanna warned, "It'll look funny."

"Will I offend Santa Claus?"

"Mom, don't be silly," Johanna said matter-of-factly, "we _both_ know Santa Claus isn't real."

"Right, and when did you figure this one out?" Kate asked, both thoroughly amused and intrigued at her daughter's attitude toward the jolly man who ventured down chimneys for a living. In Kate's opinion, that was kinda creepy.

"When I was four," Johanna said dismissively, as she began placing baubles of red, green and silver on the tree, her mother following suit, "because for Santa to be able to visit every child in the world and not be seen is pretty impossible. Not to mention I stayed up all night, and all I saw was you sneaking out of your bedroom to put the presents under the tree."

"Well, Johanna Beckett, I think that's cheating," Kate said, feigning astonishment with a grin, as Johanna turned to her, very seriously.

"No, Mom, it's common sense."

** X**

**I hope you enjoyed the very brief insight into a Beckett Christmas! Also, don't be alarmed if I don't do anymore Christmas stuff in this story. I want to get onto the 2 parter urgently, and while this is partially AU, it's still very much like the show, so we won't get too much Christmas, but I will do my best to fit the holidays in between episodes (:  
>Merry Christmas!<strong>

**Kayla x**


	37. The Third Man Ch37

**I just apologize. That is all.**

Johanna stood alongside her grandfather, watching the floors tick over in the elevator of the 12th Precinct. She sighed with relief as it finally reached Homicide, straightening up as the doors slid apart, allowing her to step out confidently, Jim following close behind. Her eyes searched the bullpen, but she could not yet find her mother. Instead, she beelined for Detectives Ryan and Esposito, who, until she approached, were arguing pettily.

"Hey, Lil B, what's up?" Esposito greeted, holding up a hand for a high five. As Johanna went for it, his hand swooped, she scowling as he chuckled.

"Not fair, Javi," she said indignantly, before grinning and turning to Ryan. It was very rare that the two would share a verbal greeting; often it was simply a warm hug and an exchange of smiles. Today was no different, her head resting somewhere between his collarbone and jaw.

Releasing and taking a step back, she noticed her mother was still nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Mom?" she asked, looking between the two detectives.

"She's in an interview right now," Ryan replied, "but she won't be too long."

Behind her, Jim let out a sigh of discomfort, causing Johanna to turn. Whether it was her sheer intuition or just knowing her grandfather too well, she seemed to read his mind.

"It's okay, Grandpa," Johanna began, stepping toward him, "I'm good with Javi and Kevin until Mom gets out."

"Yeah, don't' worry Mr. Beckett," Javi chimed in, "Lil B is fine."

Looking down to Johanna, Jim raised an eyebrow, stifling a grin.

"I think I'm outnumbered," he whispered with a chuckle, Johanna giggling in reply.

"I think so too, Grandpa," she said, wrapping her arms gently around his waist and sighing into his embrace.

"Don't have too much fun at the doctors, okay?" Johanna warned, her favorite glint of sarcasm and humor in her eyes as she spoke.

"I'll try not to," Jim replied, leaving a kiss on the top of her head, "say hi to your mom and be good Miss Jo!"

Offering a smile as sweet as raspberry pie as he started to move away, Johanna was quick to reassure him, "I'm always good, Grandpa!"

With a chuckle and a wave, Jim was headed down the elevator, and Johanna was making for her mother's desk, plonking herself in the swiveling office chair. Taking her ceremonious spin, Johanna stared at her mother's haphazard desk. She had half and idea to clear it for her, but recalled the last time she had with a shudder. Needless to say, Kate had _not_ been happy. Instead, she reached for the newspaper that sat on the edge, unfolding it and beginning to read.

Upon noticing Castle's picture, accompanied by the headline, she chuckled.

'_Only number nine, Castle?'_ she thought to herself, scanning the text for his blurb.

Her jaw dropped. Taking the paper with her, she stood and headed over to Ryan and Esposito, who appeared to have resumed their argument from earlier.

"Uh, does my mom know she's dating Castle?" she asked, their heads jerking up to find her pointing at the front page of the _Ledger_.

"Nope," Ryan replied.

"Castle's doing all he can to stop her from finding out," Esposito added.

"But he seems to forget she's a detective," Ryan finished.

Johanna nodded in agreement, shrugging with a giggle as she returned to her seat. Her eyes were still glued to the blurb, and even when she put the paper back in its place, it was still floating around her head.

'_Romantically involved with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett…'_

As much as she knew her mother would be mortified, Johanna almost wished it were true. She liked Castle, and it was very evident that he liked her mom. Still, even though Johanna knew her mother better than anyone, except maybe Abi, she couldn't decide exactly how Kate might feel about this.

Either way, Johanna thought, it would be nice to have someone like a dad around, and then her mother would have something other than work to think about. Sighing, she resorted to doodling on a spare piece of paper, when the interview room door opened.

Castle stepped out, looking sheepish, followed by Kate, who looked furious. They were headed toward Johanna, but somehow, as she looked knowingly to Ryan and Esposito, she knew it wasn't her they wanted.

"Hey Mom," Johanna greeted tentatively, as Castle gingerly reached for the paper beside her. Kate returned a surprisingly warm and calm smile to her daughter, "Hey JoJo."

Johanna, being the product of her mother and under the influence of Lanie, sensing it was safe, couldn't help herself.

"So, Mom, why didn't you tell me you and Castle were an item?" she asked playfully, grinning.

"_You_ knew as well?" Kate exclaimed with a mix of surprise, anger and hurt.

Johanna immediately retracted her coy behavior, her grin dropping, "I only just saw it now."

Her voice was quiet, her eyes downcast, but not so low that she couldn't see the infuriated look on her mother's face. Moments later, she and Castle headed to the break room, Johanna feeling like she knew exactly what Castle felt.

** X**

"So let me get this straight…" Johanna started, taking a bite out of the apple in her hand, munching it as she plonked onto her mother's bed.

Kate stood by her wardrobe wrapped in a towel, pondering over the dresses she had bought a few weeks ago. The last time Johanna was allowed into Kate's wardrobe, she essentially made fun of every dress she owned. Lanie had since fixed the issue.

As the young girl on her bed gulped down the apple, Kate turned to her expectantly, eyebrow raised.

"This morning you were dating Castle –"

"Ahem, I certainly _wasn't_ dating Castle this morning or any other time –"

"Interrupting only makes this last longer," Johanna murmured nonchalantly, looking up at her mother through her eyebrows. With a curt sigh, Kate stopped, arms crossed, looking at Johanna, gesturing with her hand to continue.

"As I was saying," Johanna continued, "this morning you were _apparently_ dating Castle, and tonight you're going on a date with a _fireman_?"

Wincing momentarily, Kate shrugged, turned back to her wardrobe, and tried her hardest to make it sound light as possible, "Sounds about right."

"And I know it's not Brad," Johanna added, "because he's proposing to that Lilly girl he's been dating for like, ever."

"Johanna, this really isn't any of –"

"And I didn't think you knew that many firemen. I know Lanie does, but –"

"Enough!"

Johanna stopped, apple halfway to her mouth, her mother's eyes intent and fierce on hers. She wasn't sure what she had said, but all she did know was her mother didn't look particularly happy with her right about now.

"First of all, it's really none of your business," Kate began, her tone stern though not yet angered, "second of all, don't be a brat, and third of all, it's not really a date."

Pursing her lips momentarily, Johanna took in a deep breath, Kate not sure whether she would be surprised or dread what her daughter was about to throw back at her.

"Doesn't the third point kind of contradict the first one?" Johanna said, "I mean, if it's none of my business –"

"How do you even come up with this stuff?" Kate interrupted, "You're _nine_!"

"I do middle school English," Johanna retorted lightly.

"Since when?" her mother demanded.

Johanna's face turned from amusement to disbelief, a hint of disappointment barely detectable, but there nonetheless, "Since I started the 4th grade."

"Oh," Kate murmured, taken aback by both her daughter's defensive voice and the information she apparently didn't know. Turning back to her clothes, she hoped the moment would slide, but at the same time, it did make her very aware of just how much she had missed in her daughter's life.

"But anyway, how'd you go from dating Castle to dating a fireman?" Johanna asked, "And what does Castle think about it?"

"I don't know what Castle thinks about it," Kate replied, sounding a lot more dejected than she had planned.

Knowing more perhaps than what her mother seemed to, Johanna watched her haphazardly throw a red dress onto the bed, landing only an inch or two from Johanna.

"Well, since you're going out, can I go to Castle's tonight?" Johanna asked, "Because Alexis and I are nearly finished _To Kill A Mockingbird_."

"Castle's, uh…not home tonight," Kate mumbled, pulling her hair out of the curlers they were in, absent-mindedly pulling part of it back and pinning it.

Johanna waited for a moment, expecting her mother to continue speaking, tell her what was going on tonight. She suspected she would either be going to her grandfather's or Lanie's, since she couldn't go to Castle's. Where was Castle tonight anyway?

"So…where am I going tonight?" Johanna asked timidly, the apple laying seemingly forgotten in her hand.

"Uh…" Kate started, knowing the answer, but somehow too involved in her hair to answer right away, "Lanie's coming over."

"Yes!" Johanna exclaimed, jumping up from the bed and bounding out of the room. She had new clothes she wanted to show her mother's best friend, and Lanie was also especially good at helping Johanna with her science homework.

Shaking her head, Kate sighed as her hands dropped, watching her reflection in the mirror.

_Well, this is as good as it's gonna get tonight_, she thought to herself, standing up and shimmying out of her towel, pulling on her dress in a matter of seconds. Turning to her wardrobe once more, she reached for the nearest heels she could reach, pulling them swiftly onto her feet.

Walking through to the living room, she grabbed her clutch from the hallway table, rummaging through it to make sure everything was in it. Johanna was sitting on the couch, the television on in the background, but her attention drawn to the novel in her hands, which was more than half finished.

"When'd you start that book, Jo?" Kate asked, sitting gently down beside her daughter, one arm around Johanna's shoulders, the other resting on her knee.

"Last night," Johanna replied, "I read at school today at lunch time."

"Is it a good book?"

"It's okay," Johanna began, "it took a little while to get interesting, but it's better now."

"If you finish that one tonight, we might have to go to the library tomorrow after school to get you some more," Kate said, "does that sound good?"

Johanna shrugged lamely, "I guess so."

Without speaking, Kate reached over, grabbed the bookmark, slid it between the pages of the novel before she gently tapped it closed, pulling it from Johanna's loose grip and placing it on the coffee table.

"Is everything okay, Jo?" she asked, her right hand gently caressing Johanna's shoulder, the little girl's blue eyes staring at the ground.

"Sure," she murmured, her hands gently pulling the ends of her sweatshirt in her lap.

A moment of silence passed, Kate feeling Johanna fidget under her embrace. Unsuspecting to her daughter, Kate tucked her left arm under Johanna's knees, her right wrapping tighter around her shoulders, lifting the young girl up onto her lap. Johanna fought giggles, shying away from the warm smile her mother offered, until she found herself settled again, both of Kate's arms enveloping her entirely.

"Listen," Kate began, her tone calm and gentle, Johanna's eyes still downcast, "I know I get caught up in work too much, and I miss out on all of the great things you're doing at school and with Grandpa…"

Her hands had stopped now, and she was staring intently at those of her mother's, which were joined and resting lightly on her thigh, their warmth reassuring in spite of her words.

"…but I promise you, I'm always here whenever you need anything," she continued, "even if it's just a hug."

She didn't meet her mother's eyes, but Johanna twisted in her place on Kate's legs, throwing her arms tightly around her waist, her head resting just below her collarbone. Kate wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but all she knew was she didn't want the moment to end.

"I love you, Mom," Johanna started quietly, "and even though sometimes I'm a brat, I never want you to be anywhere else but here. Ever."

** X**

**So, it was a long time coming and kinda short but hey, I took advantage of my Easter weekend off. I will try my best to get more written as soon as possible, but no promises, as I have real life and three other stories to maintain. **

**Kayla x**


	38. Tick, Tick, Tick Pt1

**Erm, yeah; the only note I have for this chapter (mainly the first part) just imagine the music from the original scene. Just do it.**

**Oh, and if it's not included or it's only brushed over, it's the same as the episode.**

**Enjoy!**

** X**

"Mom, when can we go home?" Johanna queried, leaning forward and resting on her elbows, watching her mother finish making her coffee.

With an eye roll as she turned, Beckett leant forward to meet her daughter's blue eyes, "Do you ever stop complaining?"

A glint in her eye, a smirk on her face, Johanna fought back a chuckle as she shook her head, following Beckett out of the break room and into the bullpen. As if on cue, Castle himself came ambling down the corridor, his face lit like Times Square.

"Hey Castle," Johanna greeted with a small wave and a grin.

"Hey Jo," he said briefly before catching up to Beckett, tapping her on the arm, "Ask me why I'm here!"

Smirking, Beckett turned to him, "You know, I ask myself that question every day."

Letting her giggles escape, Johanna caught the sideways glare from her mother as she turned to take her seat, as well as the excitable grin from Castle as he too, sat. While there was no seat for Johanna, she settled for leaning comfortably in the crook between her mother's arm and her desk.

"That was Paula, my agent, with big news about my book, _Heat Wave_," Castle started, his excitement not deterred by Beckett's sideways glance of disapproval, "Wanna guess?"

"Guessing would imply caring," Beckett added, her sip from her mug interrupted by a nudge from Johanna, whose raised eyebrow expression moved quickly to one of eagerness as she beckoned for Castle to continue.

"The headlines in the trade might read, 'Castle bestseller to heat up big screen'," he said.

A gasp and grin exploded from Johanna, while her mother beside her held an expression of somewhat dread.

"Your book is being made into a movie?" Beckett questioned, almost disappointedly.

Castle's excitement seemed to take over his whole body as he sat up straight in his chair, "And _you_ are about to immortalized on the silver screen!"

"That's so cool!" Johanna exclaimed

"Right!?" Castle agreed, meeting the young girl's high five before he turned back to Beckett.

"Actually," she interjected, "Nikki Heat is going to be immortalized, not me."

"Well, yes, technically," Castle began, "but it has been widely publicised that you are the inspiration, so, who would you like to play you in the movie?"

"Whoa, are you kidding?" Ryan exclaimed, appearing just in front of Beckett's desk with Esposito, "Are they really making a Nikki Heat movie?"

Castle's enthusiasm matched Ryan's excitement, as the two exchanged a very brief encouraging gesture, while Johanna raised an eyebrow at her mother, who was extremely focused on her papers on the desk.

"Dude, did I call it or what?" Ryan continued, as Esposito reached out from behind his partner for Castle to feed the birds.

As their conversation continued, Johanna had shifted from leaning on her mom to standing beside her, their varying expressions of bewilderment from Johanna and muted disapproval from Beckett going back and forth wordlessly. Interrupted by the ringing telephone, Beckett's final playful glare was met with the cheekiest of grins, as the young girl beside her turned back to the boys as she took the phone call.

"Beckett."

"Yes, I'd like to report a murder," came the voice on the other end of the line. Reaching for her pen, Kate sighed internally at the timing of the call; she had really wanted to go home soon.

"Do you have an address?" she asked, squaring off the pad in front of her, pen at the ready.

"Where's the fun in that?" the caller added coyly.

Dropping her pen, she clicked at Ryan, who looked up immediately from his conversation, moving to his own desk to trace the call. Esposito watched over Ryan, while Castle and Johanna had their eyes intently on Beckett.

"Okay," she replied, her focus now on the person on the other end of the phone, "who is this?"

"Oh, a fan," he replied menacingly, as all eyes in the room darted between Beckett and Ryan.

"Tell me more about this murder," Beckett began, watching Johanna's body and expression drop beside her, knowing she wouldn't be going home any time soon.

"Well, I did it," the voice chided, "and that's all you need to know."

With that, the line went dead.

"Hello?" Beckett called into the receiver, as Ryan quickly scrawled down an address beside her.

"Got it," he said, as Beckett replaced the phone and looked up, "42nd and Lex."

"That's Grand Central Station," Castle piped in, as the three detectives began to organize themselves to leave.

"I guess we're not going home any time soon then," Johanna sighed as she looked to Castle, who shook his head in an equally disappointed manner.

** X**

"Grandpa, has Mom called yet?" Johanna sighed, plonking her elbows on the bench top and her chin in her hands, her grandfather, Jim, opposite her drying coffee cups in the kitchen.

"Not yet, Jo," Jim said calmly, placing the now dry mug in the cupboard and turning back to the plates, "but you know, to take your mind off it, maybe you could come and help put away these dishes."

With yet another dejected sigh, the nine year old slid of the stool and plodded around the bench top, taking the saucer from Jim's hands and heading for the cabinet where it belonged.

"I hate it when she gets a case at night," Johanna groaned, "And tonight was supposed to be movies and popcorn."

"And now you're helping your grandpa do the dishes, you must be the luckiest girl in New York," Jim added with a chuckle, earning himself a glare from Johanna.

"I'm sure your mother won't be home too late," Jim reasoned, "and if she wasn't coming home at all, she would have called already."

"I know, Grandpa," Johanna mumbled, putting away the last of the dishes and turning back to Jim, "but it's, like, super late."

"She'll be home soon, kiddo," Jim reassured, walking toward his granddaughter and guiding her back to the living room.

Before they were able to reach the couch, Johanna gasped, hearing a key turn in the lock of the front door, and within nanoseconds, she was running toward the door.

Pulling the safety chain across, she quickly turned the handle and pulled it open, the grin on her face the first thing to greet her mother as she stepped across the threshold.

"Hey, Jo," Kate greeted, chuckling, as her little girl's arms were thrown around her waist, squeezing tight.

"Hey, Mom!" Johanna cried, "Did you catch the bad guy?"

"Not yet," Kate answered, detaching Johanna so she could close the door, but was stopped by Jim.

"Don't bother closing it, Katie," he said, standing up, "I think I'll be headed off now."

"Bye Grandpa!" Johanna said, walking very quickly toward him and allowing him to pull her into a warm hug, "Thanks for coming over."

"Anytime, kiddo," he murmured, watching as she wandered over onto the couch and collapsed into the cushions.

He continued toward the door, grabbing his coat and slinging it over his arm on the way, before he moved toward Kate, who was stood waiting at the door, a small smile on her lips.

"Thanks, Dad," she added quietly, as the two shared a very brief, one-armed hug.

"Make sure you get him, Katie," he said, before waving a final farewell to Johanna and heading toward the elevator.

After waiting until the metallic doors slid shut, Kate then carefully pushed the door closed, replaced the safety chain and locked it.

When she turned around, Johanna was curled up on the couch, her eyes closed, though Kate could tell she wasn't yet asleep. Kicking off her boots and pulling off her coat, she tiptoed over to the living room, and sat herself down just by the little girl's head.

"Tired, Miss Jo?" Kate murmured, leaning over onto one elbow, the thumb of her free hand gently pushing her daughter's hair back behind her ears.

Johanna's bright blue eyes popped open, and with a mischievous grin on her face she sprang up onto her feet.

"Never!" she exclaimed, watching as a smile spread over Kate's face before she dropped back down onto the couch.

"Good," Kate began, as she then stood up, heading over to the kitchen as she continued to speak, "because guess what we've got in our cupboard?"

"Not a whole lot?" Johanna queried sarcastically, giggling as her mother momentarily stuck her tongue out as she pulled open one of the higher cupboards.

"No," she replied, reaching in and pulling out a small, blue packet and turning back to Johanna, "Popcorn!"

"YES!" Johanna cried, jumping up off the couch and racing into the kitchen, tearing open one of the cupboards and clambering eagerly for the biggest bowl she could find.

Laughing as she went, Kate put the popcorn into the microwave, and set it off to cook, Johanna joining her as they both sat and watched as the bag expanded.

"Remember, whoever says it quickest and the most gets the first handful!" Johanna reminded, her eyes intent on the revolving paper bag.

"It's going to be me," Kate reassured, her mini me shaking her head.

"Nuh-uh, you're going down, Mama Bear," Johanna said defiantly, not daring tear her eyes away from the microwave.

"Big words for a little girl," Kate replied, her eyes too not moving.

"Small but fierce," Johanna exclaimed quietly.

Both green and blue eyes sat, waiting and watching the popcorn, the small, mediocre pops continuing and with only 10 seconds to go on the clock, they waited anxiously for the biggest pop to come.

"SNAP CRACKLE POP!"

"SNAP CRACKLE POP!"

"YES!" Johanna shouted, "I win!"

"Nah, that was totally me!"

"No Mom, you were too slow!"

"I don't think so!"

Giggling and wrestling to get the microwave oven open, they managed to get most of the popcorn into the bowl, the rest of it landing somewhere on the ground.

"See, Mom, those are your bits cos you lost!" Johanna chided, giggling as she grabbed the bowl and ran for the living room.

"You're going to be sorry, missy!" Kate cried, as she chased a squealing and giggling Johanna into the living room, catching her just in time to see her shoving a full handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"I wib!" Johanna mumbled through a full mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Kate said, taking her own handful of popcorn and popping each piece into her mouth individually.

As she attempted to chew her immense amount of popcorn, Kate got up and headed for the movie cabinet, crouching down and pulling it open.

"Okay, Jo, we have time for one movie, what's it going to be?" Kate asked, hearing the bowl be set down and feeling a body beside her.

"Umm…." Johanna murmured, "I think, _The Princess Bride_."

"Original," Kate replied, chuckling, as she reached in and pulled out the DVD, taking it from its case and putting it into the DVD player.

"Totally," Johanna said, as she jumped up and raced down the hall, "I'll get the blanket!"

** X**

The next morning, Beckett sighed as she arrived at the next crime scene. After she had dropped a complaining Johanna off at school, she had hoped she wouldn't face any more calls from the mystery murderer in the hope of catching him first, but her wishes had gone unnoticed.

The second crime scene was very much like the first; public location, four GSWs to the chest, all with a letter etched into the end, this one continuing the yet to be finished message. This fact did not sit easy with Kate, knowing that the incomplete message meant another murder was on the cards.

"I guess its official," Castle began, "our guy is a serial killer."

"I thought a serial killer would be like the Holy Grail for a crime novelist," Beckett added, as the two wandered toward the carousel entrance.

With a small shrug, Castle considered; normally a serial killing would mean excitement in his books; the motive, the means, the story…but there was something about this one that didn't sit well with him.

"I guess, it would be if it weren't for the Nikki Heat of it all," he murmured, "I feel a little responsible."

Turning on him, Beckett looked him straight in the eyes, "Really? Like, The Beatles are responsible for Charles Manson because of Helter Skelter? Or is it more like Jodie Foster's responsible for John Hinckley shooting Reagan?"

"If I hadn't created Nikki Heat –"

"He would still be killing," Beckett interjected, "he would just find another reason why."

Before their conversation could continue, Castle found himself side tracked by the mass of black SUVs that had just pulled up alongside the cars of the NYPD, his offhand gaze causing Beckett to turn also.

"Either a UFO just landed on the other side of the park…" Castle began.

"Or the FBI's here to claim jurisdiction over this case," Beckett finished with a sigh.

"Maybe they just want to ride on the carousel before the line gets too long," Castle added quietly, a comment which gained him yet another eye roll from Detective Beckett.

As they watched, a slew of agents, led by a redheaded woman calling orders, began to move toward the crime scene. Castle watched on in awe, while Beckett felt the dread of what was to come build up as they passed under the police tape and closer to her.

"Here it goes," she muttered, loud enough for Castle to hear, as the redheaded woman headed right for her.

"Nikki Heat, I presume," she greeted.

"It's Beckett," Kate corrected, "Detective Kate Beckett."

"Yeah, read all about you in _Cosmo_," she continued, before turning to Castle, "and you must be the celebrity writer tag-along, Richard Castle."

She looked once more between the two of them, before extending her hand to Beckett, "Special Agent Jordan Shaw –"

"Wait, wait, Jordan Shaw?" Castle began excitedly, "The same Jordan Shaw that broke the Hudson Valley strangler case in 1991?"

"I also play a mean game of Scrabble," she replied, unimpressed, while Beckett looked to Castle with an expression of equal distaste.

"Now that we all know each other, I'd like to see the body," Shaw said, starting to walk off but stopped by Beckett.

"Agent Shaw, my people have already secured the area," Beckett began, "CSU is on the scene and we are canvassing the park, so as happy as I am to see the cavalry, there's really not much left here for you to do."

"Detective," Shaw began sternly, "the gods in the marble halls have sent me here to catch a killer, which I will do with or without your help, okay?"

Beckett, though annoyed, mumbled a quiet approval.

"Now, can I see the body?"

Meanwhile, Castle was otherwise distracted, "That is so going in the movie – can you say that again, but start from 'marble halls'?"

Disregarding Castle's childishness, Beckett turned to follow Shaw, before the attention of both was caught by the calling figure at the carousel entrance.

"Agent Shaw!"

As Beckett and Shaw turned, they were met with a striking young brunette, taller than most women of her age, hair hanging over her shoulders and piercing eyes. While Shaw seemed happy to see the new addition, Beckett was unsure at this point how she felt.

"Agent Winters, I'm glad you could make it," Shaw exclaimed, reaching out a hand and shaking enthusiastically.

"Thank you for inviting me along," Winters replied, "sorry I wasn't here sooner, Agent Walker was having one of her crises."

"Well, we all know what Logan Walker's crises are like," Shaw added with a chuckle, before turning back to Beckett and Castle, "Detective Beckett, Mr Castle, this is Special Agent Abigail Winters."

"We've met," Beckett added curtly, extending her hand, "it's a pleasure to see you again."

"And you too, Detective," Winters replied, offering a nod of acknowledgement to Castle also, before turning back to Shaw, "so, what's the latest?"

"I'm yet to see the body," Shaw replied, looking expectantly toward Beckett, who turned abruptly toward the carousel, but was stopped by an approaching Esposito and Ryan, the latter holding a black purse.

"Unis pulled this from a trash bin," Ryan stated, "wallet's inside, vic's name is Michelle Lewis."

"According to her business card, she's a dog walker," Esposito chimed in.

Winters looked worriedly to Esposito, not knowing what would happen between them, but found that he was very determined to avoid her gaze.

"There's a print here," Beckett began, all eyes now on the purse, "and it's too big to be our victim's. Let's get it to the lab for –"

Her sentence was interrupted by Shaw's cell appearing over the purse, the camera snapping a picture before it was then whisked away. Shaw and Winters shared a momentary look of mutual approval, before Beckett brought their attention back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, giving her best attempt to not sound demanding.

"That print is already in the lab and being processed," Shaw explained, "no muss, no fuss, no black powder on your clothes."

"Wow, there's an app for that?" Castle exclaimed, his eyes darting from the print to Shaw's cell.

"That's why I joined the FBI Mr Castle," she explained, "for the toys. Really eager to see that body."

She gestured for Winters to follow her, the two walking off and beginning to quietly converse between themselves.

"Can I see that –"

Castle aimed to follow, but was stopped midway by Beckett's arm, her gaze not having left the direction she was facing through sheer frustration.

"Be a chance to check it later…" Castle murmured.

** X**

Back at the Precinct, Beckett stood by her desk, Castle beside her, as the FBI agents swarmed the bullpen, bringing in equipment in quick succession. Inside, Shaw and Winters were comparing notes and crime scene photos, uploading everything onto the computer of a fellow agent. Leaving her cell with Shaw, Winters headed out of the room, straight toward where Beckett and Castle stood. Beckett was slightly apprehensive to talk to her sister; the last time they had seen each other, was when their mother's murderer had just been killed, right here in the precinct.

"Hey," Winters greeted, stopping in front of the two and offering a small smile.

"Hey," Beckett replied curtly, her arms crossing as she leant back on her desk. Her eyes didn't leave the young FBI agent in front of her, who was now looking toward an apologetic Castle.

"So, uh, how you been?" Winters asked, "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Beckett answered, "Yeah it has."

Castle looked sideways at his partner, confused by her coldness toward her younger sister. Sure, the last time they worked a case together, things didn't turn out so swimmingly, but he didn't feel that warranted this sort of hostility.

"Well, uh," Winters continued awkwardly, "glad we get to work together again."

A taut smile was the last exchange between the pair, before Winters turned slowly around and headed back into the war room.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Castle turned on Beckett immediately, "Okay, what was that all about?"

"Castle, it's none of your business," Beckett spat, stepping past him on her way toward the FBI setup.

"I know but last time you and Abi talked it was –"

"Castle!" Beckett exclaimed, turning to him and holding up a hand, "Let it go."

For now, he remained silent, as he followed Beckett through the door into the bustling evidence room, knowing that the subject would inevitably come up again later.

"You're running partials too, right?" came Shaw's voice, as she conversed with associate Agent Avery, Beckett and Castle looking momentarily around the room before they were beside her.

"Through all databases," Avery replied, "the lab is getting us information as fast as we can follow up."

"I thought there was a backlog at the lab," Beckett intervened, remembering a frustrating instance the previous day where she was without identified prints.

"We have a federal fast pass, so we get to jump the line," Shaw explained, "Currently we're running 35 solid leads based on DNA prints, trace evidence found from both crime scenes and we're running it through the FBI data matrix. The matrix also looks for a connection between the victims in case the killer has a type, or a favourite hunting ground, or isn't killing randomly."

Castle, who had been playing excitably with the touch screen was now faced with headshots of the two victims, with a list of their connections and crossovers in daily life.

"Both Alex Peterman and Michelle Lewis belonged to the same Wessex gym but went to different locations," Castle began, "they're both members of MOMA…hmm, they both adopted their dogs from the same RSPCA."

While Castle was thoroughly impressed, Beckett stood further back, closer to Agent Winters, and looked on sceptically.

"Wow, sounds like it does your job for you," she taunted, a quiet smirk coming from the agent beside her.

"If only it were this easy," Winters added, "we'd have more psychos like this guy behind bars instead of on the streets."

Shaw turned and nodded in agreement as she continued.

"Besides, a machine can collate but it can't think," she said, "It takes a mind to hunt a mind. Take this guy; He calls the police to report his own crime, likes to kill in heavily populated areas and uses bullets as messages. Now, most of these stalker types can barely tie their own shoes, this one's different…smarter."

"You almost sound like you admire him," Beckett added.

"I admire him the way Robert Shaw admired the shark in _Jaws_," Shaw replied with a smirk, "the better I know him, the easier it will be to catch him."

"It's like when I'm writing…" Castle began, to which both Beckett and Winters rolled their eyes behind him, as he continued speaking to Shaw.

"Wooing the new girl, huh?" Winters whispered, "I thought you two were the great theorizing minds of this place?"

Beckett looked between the smartboard and Winters, unsure of what to say next, a few stuttering noises making themselves known before she could speak.

"We are, it's just –"

"Relax, Katie," Winters stopped her with a chuckle, "He just wants to play with the smartboard. Besides, we all know he only has eyes for you."

Before she could retort, two more agents came walking into the room carrying boxes filled with _Heat Wave_, leaving Castle chuckling on the far side of the room.

"Whoa, whoa, guys," he began, walking over as they set the boxes down, "not that I don't appreciate the royalties but, uh, why do you need 100 copies of _Heat Wave_?"

"If our killer is obsessed with Nikki Heat, then so are we," Shaw said, turning to the agent beside her, "Avery? Cliff Notes please."

Passing a few more books around the room, Avery then pulled a manila file from the desk and propped it open as he began to read.

"A real estate tycoon is killed; Detective Nikki Heat catches the case and investigates suspects who wanted the man dead. There's a trophy wife – of course – dangerous mobsters –"

"Excuse me," Castle interrupted, "it's a, it's a _New York Times_ bestseller, I don't think there's a need to make it sound so dry. Thanks."

While Avery took a moment to raise an eyebrow at Castle, the three women alongside him shared a look of quick hilarity before the notes continued.

"Heat's life is complicated by a reporter named Jameson Rook, who's following her around for an article he's writing," he went on, "Heat and Rook verbally spar, and in Chapter Eleven, admit their attraction for one another and have sex…"

Beckett's eyes widened as she found every eye in the room now on her, except of course Agent Winters, who was looking down, chuckling under her breath.

"It's fiction," Beckett demanded, a comment which made everyone, particularly Winters and Castle, even more amused.

After an eyeroll, Avery continued once more, "In the end, when the killer's revealed, it turns out it's actually –"

"Oh!" Castle cried out, Avery looking to him extremely frustrated that he was interrupted yet again, "Spoiler alert."

"In deference to Mr Castle's artistic sensitivity, you can all read the book to find out the identity of the killer," Shaw ordered, giving a nod to a satisfied Castle.

"Thank you," he replied, before adding an afterthought of his own, "And, if you want me to sign those for you, just form a single file line right here."

Most eyes in the room rolled, while others simply looked at him, amused, as he sighed and looked away again at the lack of movement.

"Or not…"

A quiet beep caught the attention of most, as Avery began to click and type manically on the computer, Winters stepping forward along with Shaw.

"We got a hit," Avery began, "that pinky print of the second victim's purse belongs to a Donald Salt, two-time loser, on parole for a manslaughter conviction in 2005. They just matched it to the partial pinky print your team recovered from Grand Central."

"So he was at both crime scenes," Winters began, her arms crossed, eyes on the smartboard, Shaw having moved alongside Avery.

"And the purse puts him with our victim," Beckett added, looking to Winters, as the two shared a nod.

"Let's mount up!" Shaw ordered, as the team began bustling just as they were moments ago and heading out of the room.

** X**

It had been a somewhat successful pick up; the suspect was in the interrogation room with Shaw and Beckett, while Castle and Winters hung back in the viewing room.

Donald Salt had been relatively easy to find, the only problem being, he was missing his pinky finger. So far, he seemed just as cocky and arrogant as the murderer himself, though it was quite obvious as the conversation continued, that was not the killer.

Castle, while extremely entertained by Beckett and Shaw being in the interrogation room together, he found it was not his most exciting viewing. Instead, he took the opportunity to confront Winters about her seemingly hostile encounters with her older sister.

"So," he started, as the green eyes turned from the glass to him, arms still crossed, gaze still hard. He had to say, it was slightly terrifying.

"So what?" she answered, shrugging as she turned back. He was not as clever as he thought he was when it came to being nosy, not when he had a genuine, personal interest in what he was nosing about.

"How are you and Kate?" he asked carefully, wincing as a sharp sigh escaped Winters before she turned her whole body back to him.

"You know subtlety is an art, right?" she said, "An art that you totally don't have mastered."

"Well, if I ever claim to be anything, subtle isn't usually it," Castle replied.

Looking down at the floor, she took a moment to consider things. True, it hadn't exactly been smooth sailing with her sister since Dick Coonan had been killed, but that wasn't entirely the reason why she was uneasy at the 12th. She knew how close the Homicide unit was here, knew that things would have been shared, and somehow, she knew that it wasn't just from that last case; it was partly to do with Esposito as well.

"We're not bad," she started, sounding a lot less sure of herself than she expected, "but we're not exactly great either."

"Is it about Coonan?" he asked.

Winters gave a gentle shrug, "Not so much anymore. At least, I don't think so."

"Then what do you suppose it is?" Castle continued.

"I mean," Winters started, unfolding her arms and beginning to pace around the viewing room, "I suppose we did have opposing feelings to the whole Dick Coonan thing. I mean, I grew up thinking it was all him; he was the one who killed my mom, and even though I know differently know, I still feel relief that he's dead. Whereas, she has none of that, she needs him to tell her who it was, who _really_ wanted her dead."

There was a pause, and she looked over to Castle, her arms half folded, half hugging herself as she went on, her voice quieter than moments ago.

"But I guess she just feels like that was the end in the wrong sense," she added, "and I feel like it's a good end. So, I guess that's where we're not seeing eye to eye."

Castle nodded slowly, knowing he could never really understand the severity behind the situation in the same way the two Becketts would. He could only really see what it was they allowed him to see, and in this case, it wasn't always a lot.

"But if it's not about Coonan," he continued, unable to let go of what she had said before, "What could it be?"

Biting her lip momentarily, she looked over at him, then past him into the bullpen, where she could see the other detectives at their desks, working. So far, she had not had many interactions with Esposito yet, but knew that once one surfaced, it would be incredibly uncomfortable.

"I don't know how much you know," Winters began, "about various…connections…between some of the detectives here and myself."

Confused, Castle turned to follow her gaze, both their eyes now resting on the conjoined desks of Detectives Ryan and Esposito.

"Oh, you and Esposito," he added lightly as he turned back to her, only to find she wasn't smiling along with him.

"I don't know how much anyone knows," she continued, "but I would presume he'd have mentioned something to Kate. It makes sense…"

"Wait," Castle began, his mind going into overdrive as he compared everything he could remember about Winters with everything he knew about Esposito, "this doesn't have anything to do with Cris who's really Cristiano but only because you like the Spanish version of the name?"

Of course, it would be Castle who would be the first to hit the nail on the head at a moment's notice.

"It has everything to do with Cris," she whispered, "and he didn't know, and I didn't think I'd ever see him again, I mean, come on, this is Manhattan, you hardly ever meet the same person twice without arranging it and then…my old life came back."

Fighting the urge to burst with excitement at the juiciest of twists since his own novels, Castle maintained his composure.

"And he found out," he started, more as a statement than a question, "and you're worried that he's said something to your sister and –"

"No, I don't care whether he's told her or not," she interjected, "I care that she thinks I would keep things from people, important things, like that fact that he is the father of my child!"

"Abi –"

"Thank you for this little heart to heart, Castle, but I'd like to get back to work now," she muttered, looking back to the interrogation room to find Shaw and Beckett walking out, whom she followed quickly.

** X**

**I have a competition very soon, so won't have time to finish this right away (i.e., this week lol) so I will do it when I get back most likely. **

**Hope you enjoy, sorry for the massive gap between the last the chapter and this one. **

**Kayla x**


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